The Rose

Bette Midler's 'The Rose' is a poignant ballad that explores the complex nature of love through a series of metaphors. The song begins by presenting different perspectives on love, likening it to a river, a razor, and a hunger, each suggesting an aspect of love's power and potential for pain. The river drowns, the razor cuts, and the hunger is insatiable, illustrating love's overwhelming and sometimes destructive force.

However, Midler's personal view of love contrasts these harsh images. She describes love as a flower, delicate and beautiful, with the listener or the subject of the song being its only seed. This metaphor suggests that love has the potential to grow and blossom within us, but it requires care and nurturing. The subsequent verses delve into the fears that hold people back from fully embracing love. The fear of heartbreak, the reluctance to take risks, and the resistance to give oneself to another are all barriers that prevent the seed of love from flourishing.

The song culminates in a message of hope and resilience. It acknowledges the loneliness and hardships that can make love seem exclusive to the fortunate, but it reminds the listener that even in the harshest conditions, love can survive and bloom. The final lines evoke the image of a seed lying dormant under the snow, waiting for the warmth of the sun to awaken it in the spring, symbolizing the enduring and renewing power of love.