"If hope grew on a bush" (from SingSong)

If hope grew on a bush,
And joy grew on a tree,
What a nosegay for the plucking
There would be!

But oh! in windy autumn,
When frail flowers whither,
What should we do for hope and joy,
Fading together?
(1869)

Each stanza is a single sentence. First, and exclamation, then a question. I'm always startled by this type of poem by CGR, not only because of the rather sad outcome, but because the shortened last line arrests me. It's highly appropriate for this type of poem (i.e. nursery) but it still has such a halting effect. Of course that type of surprise works well with the subject of the poem - hope and joy, like blossoms on a tree or bush, come and go in due season. I guess the hope in the poem is found in the fact that these things will again return, but the overall mood does not seem hopeful. The ending question is not encouraging - what do we do when hope and joy fade? What are we left with? Presumably a dead looking, bare tree. The autumn is described as windy - an image of hope and joy being torn off by the wind as they slowly fade. I have no idea what possible effect CGR hoped to produce on children with this one - perhaps more little novices in her cult of melancholy. I know this seems cop-out-ish of me, but I really don't see the point unless it is to show some of the allure of sorrow. The poem's cadence doesn't read nearly as darkly as the second stanzas words dictate - maybe it's not meant to be taken so seriously.