A WHITE ROSE The red rose whispers of passion, And the white rose breathes of love; Oh, the red rose is a falcon, And the white rose is a dove. But I send you a cream-white rosebud, With a flush on its petal tips; For the love that is purest and sweetest Has a kiss of desire on the lips. -- John Boyle O'Reilly (1844-1890) was born in Drogheda (Louth) Ireland. After apprenticing at various newspapers, he became a member of the Fenian Society, a group dedicated to Irish nationalism. Soon after joining, O'Reilly was arrested and banished to a penal colony in Australia. In 1869 he escaped to America and joined the staff of the "Boston Pilot," the diocesan paper. He soon became editor and went on to publish many volumes of poetry, ranging from patriotic odes to lyrical ballads. In testament to the wide acclaim he enjoyed for his poetry, O'Reilly was picked to deliver a commemorative poem at the dedication of Plymouth Rock in 1889 - a major honor for any writer at the time, especially for an Irishman. He died only a year later at age 46 from an overdose of sleeping pills, though it is not known whether it was a suicide or an accident.