Meaning of 'the dear' (The dear only knows what will next prove a rose...)

[Youry Kouptsov]

Hello, everybody! Will someone tell me the meaning of 'the dear' in the short verse below.

The Rose Family

The rose is a rose,
And was always a rose.
But the theory now goes
That the apple's a rose,
And the pear is, and so's
The plum, I suppose.
The dear only knows
What will next prove a rose.
You, of course, are a rose -
But were always a rose.

Robert Frost

Thank you.
Youry

[Milanya]

The dear God, IMHO.
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con·text - The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.

[Natasha81]

The analysis and comments:

http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/robertfrost/12125

I believe, it is the Dear God, as He is the only one who knows:)"What will next prove a rose."

[Iraqi]

Dear=God (As my clever students answered )

[Kitosdad]

Iraqi, if you keep putting your tongue in cheek so often, you will go right through eventually.

Kitos.
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If you need me, I'm here.

[Berlinder]

The only interpretation seems to be GOD. But what makes me doubt it is that God will always be written in capitals, like He, Him, God, etc.
But as you know in poetry there are other rules than correct grammar and the famous poets have their own janggling methods to write.
Anyway 'God only knows the future' is a wide spread saying. HE never reveals it. By HIM is everything top secret.