Poem

The third stanza elaborates on what this ocean life means for the “sea rose,” noting to the rose that it is “stunted” and cannot grow or thrive as a regular rose would—thus resulting in its small leaves. Then, the speaker addresses the rose about its movements as a result of wind and water; how the rose is tossed onto the sand, and then lifted up with the sand that is blown by the wind.

The poem’s last stanza reverts back to third-person voice and poses the question: Can a typical garden rose that has been pressed and dried into a “spice” match the substance and allure of the sea rose's bitter, pungent scent?