Sea Rose Theme of Appearances

Here's one of the interesting things about Imagist poetry: since it concentrates exclusively on the subject (or object) it's trying to discuss, chances are that it'll spend a good deal of time describing that object's appearance. In this case, the rose gets depicted in its living conditions: and believe us, they're pretty down and dirty. Don't be fooled by appearances, though: this poem is about more than just looks. As it turns out, looks can be a way to explore other aspects of life, as well.

1. How would you describe the rose in this poem? What does it look like? Smell like? Feel like?
2. Does the speaker think the sea rose is beautiful? Does beauty even matter in this poem?
3. Do you think that this rose is something that could exist outside of the wild?

Although the rose in this poem is tough, it's not beautiful.

The rose in this poem acquires a sort of beauty through its strength and tenacity.