"The Last Rose of Summer" (1813)
[aka "Castle Hyde" adapted by Barrett;
"The Groves of Blarney" adapted by Richard Alfred Milliken;
"The Young Man's Dream" (1790)]

Irish  melody -- anonymous, circa 1660
Words and arrangement by Thomas Moore, 1779-1852

[Source: from Moore's "Irish Melodies";
reprinted on pp. 214-217 in
"The Parlour Song Book: A Casquet of Vocal Gems"
(1972) Edited by Michael R. Turner]

1. ’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, 
Or give sigh for sigh.

2. 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.

3. So soon may I follow, 
When friendships decay, 
And from love’s shining circle, 
The gems drop away, 
When true hearts lie wither’d, 
And fond ones are flown, 
Oh! who would inhabit 
This bleak world alone.