The first stanza begins with an unexpected paradox: the description of a rose as “harsh,” “marred” and containing an inadequate number of petals. The speaker goes on to layer several descriptive phrases about the rose, noting that this particular flower is “meagre,” “thin” and lacking the usual number of leaves.
In the second stanza, the speaker claims that this rose is more “precious” than a “wet rose / single on a stem,”—likely referring to the domestic English Rose that is featured in so many romantic and literary scenarios. Distinguishing this “sea rose” from the pristine, healthy rose that is frequently offered as a gesture of love, is the fact that the “sea rose” is “caught in the drift” of the elements. The speaker switches to second person to address the sea rose about its distinct circumstances.
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?
