it's all a mystery to me...

Mystic: the crashing white waves, the green of the earth; a land rich with tradition, history, life. Castles and churches older than America, bursting with stories, legends, tales. Beauty, wondrous.

The Last Rose of Summer
By: Thomas Moore

‘Tis the last rose of summer
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
No rosebud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes,
To give sigh for sigh.

I’ll not leave thee, thou lone one!
To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter
Thy leaves o’er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon I may follow,
When friendships decay,
And from Love’s shining circle
The gems drop away.
When true hears lie withered
And fond ones are flown,
Oh! Who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?

Thomas Moore seems to be describing a deep loneliness or longing for companionship and love. As the years blow through life like a gentle breeze, the friends he, or the subject of the poem, once knew are all lain to rest and now he awaits his turn, “So soon I may follow.” No one wants to be completely left alone; it is human nature to desire to be loved. Moore describes how there is no rose bud to “reflect back her blushes.” Relationships draw out one’s colors of life. Without that interaction, life may seem very melancholy, very gray.

I have always been slightly intrigued by Ireland, or at least by a very stereotypical representation of Ireland: a very lighthearted people, beautiful country, and green beer. While I knew there was so much more, I never took the time to learn about this rich culture. Reading this poem brought the reality of life back into my perception of this culture. Although Ireland is swept such striking beauty and strong tradition, there is always going to be pain, heartache, loneliness, and sorrow among the joy and laughter.

I have always been very curious about people in general. I love to learn about other cultures and experience life in different shoes. I am from El Paso, Texas and was immersed into the Mexican culture. I grew up in the Catholic Church and loved participating in traditions such as the Posadas. I have done missionary work in Mexico and been exposed to life in some of the poorest areas of Mexico. Life there has always captivated me because these people have a joy in their hearts that is so pure and true. Although they literally have nothing, they still hold onto their culture, traditions, and family.

I have always wanted to travel to Ireland because somewhere down the line my ancestors, the Downey’s came from there. One summer while visiting my grandfather on my dad’s side of the family, he showed me my family’s coat of arms from Ireland. It was one of the most awesome things I had ever seen. My family’s name was actually McDowney but Americanized to Downey when they migrated. I feel as though this part of my response is very cliché, but this is one part of my ancestry that I truly know very little about and would love to learn more.

I love to travel and have been all over the United States, mostly competing in national dance competitions, but aside from my day trips to Mexico, I have never been out of the country. Since I was a little kid, my top three dream destinations of travel have been Spain, Ireland, and Germany. I read the course description on the Honor College’s website and could not pass up the opportunity to fulfill one of my lifelong dreams.