![Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/009/232/636542234871834146-drunk-lady-valentine.jpg)
Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue
Part of a series on Valentine's Day. [View Related Entries]
About
Roses are Red… refer to a variety of short poems featuring rhyme verses that begin with the lines “Roses are red, violets are blue.” While the original poem was used to convey messages of love, many of its derivative versions nullify its sentimental value through subversion, parody and anti-humor. For this reason, it has become a popular snowclone online.
Origin
The first two lines "Roses are red, violets are blue" were inspired by Edmund Spenser's 16th century epic poem The Faerie Queene[1], in a section describing a man viewing a fairy woman bathing herself on a summer's day.
But wondrously they were begot, and bred.
Through influence of th'heauens fruitfull ray,
As it in antique bookes is mentioned.
It was upon a Sommers shynie day,
When Titan faire his beames did display,
In a fresh fountaine, farre from all mens vew,
She bath'd her brest, the boyling heat t'allay;
She bath'd with roses red, and violets blew,
And all the sweetest flowres, that in the forrest grew.
In the late 18th century, another Roses are Red rhyme was published in the nursery rhyme collection Gammer Gurton's Garland[2], titled "The Valentine."
The rose is red, the violet's blue,
The honey's sweet, and so are you.
Thou art my love, and I am thine;
I drew thee to my Valentine:
The lot was cast, and then I drew,
And fortune said it should be you.
Furthermore, Victor Hugo used a similar styling in a song sung by Fantine in his 1862 novel Les Misérables[3], while the character was reminiscing about a lullaby she used to sing to her daughter Cosette.
We will buy very pretty things
A-walking through the faubourgs.
Violets are blue, roses are red,
Violets are blue, I love my loves.
In 1988, American Children's Folklore[4] compiled 14 derivatives of the original rhyme, both with positive and negative connotations. Other variants[5] have appeared in a number of television shows, songs, books, films and video games including Kurt Vonnegut's 1973 novel Breakfast of Champions[6], Bob Dylan's 1989 song "Where Teardrops Fall"[7] and the 1991 comedy film What About Bob?.
![8fd.png roses are red Roses are Red Roses are red 0.0000025% 0.000002% 0.000001 5% 0.000001% 0.0000005% 0.00% 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 1800 1820 1840 1860 1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 1810 1830 1850](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/522/772/8fd.png)
Spread
On October 12, 2006, user E started a thread on Yahoo Answers[10] asking, "Got any funny roses are red, violets are blue poems?" On July 21st, 2012, a Reddit user (since deleted) started a thread on /r/AskReddit asking users to, "Give me your best "Roses are red" poem."[9] As of February 2014, the thread has over 900 comments. On Tumblr they are often incorporated into Valentine's Day e-cards.
![Fall Into You Roses are red Violets are blue Fall into you ls all I seem to do from:](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/697/421/015.png)
![American Horror Story Valentine roses are red violets are blue I impregnated your mother with the antichrist and I'll f--- you, too from: to:](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/697/423/bef.jpg)
![Angry E-card Roses are red, violets are blue; I'm using my hand, but thinking of you somee cards uger card](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/697/424/ddc.jpg)
![Roses Are Red Nirvana roses are red violets are blue i was in nirvana who the f--- are you To: From](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/697/426/d3f.jpg)
Screengrab Variations
In August 2016, a spin-off series of anti-romantic jokes based on the "roses are red…" snowclone began circulating on Weird Twitter, in which the closing punchlines are substituted with captioned images and offbeat news headlines. For example, the below tweet by @veryhiggins[13] grabs a screenshot about Jerry Seinfeld considering a Bee Movie sequel.
![](http://i.imgur.com/gnK8uk5.png?1)
While it is difficult to pinpoint the origin of this specific format, The Daily Dot[11] attributed its rising popularity to @nochillpoetry,[12] a Twitter account dedicated to curating various jokes in such manner.
![Wotsits Up the Bottom No Chill Poetry @nochillpoetry Aug 1 oes are red Pillows are cotton NO WHY DID THIS MAN PUSH 114 Baked UP HIS BOTTOM? The answer may shock you](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/158/035/e53.png)
![Even Isis Wouldn't Have Done This No Chill Poetry @nochillpoetry -Aug 1 NO CRILL Roses are Red Love is a mist WEST KBgy PNES 27-29 CARSN田.MU SICFESTIVAL 8-PAGE SFR BENT R DE Leading recruitment firm creates 30 new jobs INSIDE 'EVEN ISIS WOULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS" Sun comesout as Castlegregory Summer Festival ends on a high Ladiesturn on the style illeyc Furyas council digs up holy well without State approval Nathan Carter Hometown Reggie N Bellie The Ronan Collins Showband Hudson Taylor Hermitage Green-The Academic-Fashion Show](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/158/038/dd9.png)
![9 Creme Eggs No Chill Poetry Onochillpoetry Aug 2 Daisy's are Yellow So is the Sun NO CHILL EASTER WORLD RECORD ISTUCK CREME EGGS UP MYBUMS](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/158/039/341.png)
Various Examples
![Roses Are Red I Like Wine Roses are dead, violets are fine this day sucks balls I really love wine our ecards someecards.com](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/696/964/fea.jpg)
![Roses Are Red Hulk Smash red Roses are Tha Mula is green, I'd smash dat ass If you know what I mean... To: green From:](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/696/968/f25.jpg)
![Roses Are Red Leonardo DiCaprio roses are red violets are blue like the titanic im goin down on u from:](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/696/975/e4c.png)
![Roses Are Red Grumpy Cat ROSES ARE RED THEN THEY WITHER AND DIE](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/696/979/4ba.jpg)
![Roses Are Red I Like Your Butt s are clever ses are ke your butt/le me touch it AOR EVER、](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/696/981/740.jpg)
![Roses Are Red Tattoo Roses are red name's Dave na sense](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/696/985/59f.jpg)
Search Interest
External References
[1] Wikipedia – The Faerie Queene
[2] Project Gutenberg – Gammer Gurton's Garland
[3] Wikipedia – Les Misérables
[4] Google Books – American Children's Folklore
[5] TV Tropes – Roses are Red Violets are Blue
[6] Wikipedia – Breakfast of Champions
[7] BobDylan.com – Where Teardrops Fall Lyrics
[8] IMDb – What About Bob?
[9] Reddit – Give me your best 'Roses are red' poem
[10] Yahoo – Got any funny roses are red, violets are blue poems?
[11] The Daily Dot – Roses are red, violets are blue, this poetry meme is tried and true
Top Comments
Lone K. (Echoid)
Apr 02, 2013 at 02:01AM EDT
maikcollos
Sep 01, 2013 at 02:33AM EDT