Below is one of my favourite poems by George Eliot, her dream in the 19th century still works for me today.
If I went by writer's names, I would have totally bypassed this piece all together because the first book I read by George Eliot during my school days was 'The Mill on The Floss'. It was such a sad story (depressing too, the story of a young girl) it left quite an impression, I never picked up another book by her.
I don't like sad endings I confess - be it book or movie..probably life too. I try to avoid them (can't do that in life though !). Strangely, now that I think back on it, I did quite a few of those tragedies in school like King Lear, Coriolanus, Wuthering Heights, Things Fall Apart (except for Midsummer Night's Dream) few more...were they trying to depress us (late teens) out of Literature !! ......that's enough of that.. let's move on to peaceful images..
You love the roses - so do I. I wish
The sky would rain down roses, as they rain
From off the shaken bush. Why will it not?
Then all the valley would be pink and white
And soft to tread on. They would fall as light
As feathers, smelling sweet; and it would be
Like sleeping and like waking, all at once!
(Roses by G Eliot)