Monday, April 25, 2011

The Rose

My love enjoys flowers and all things beautiful. I try to bring things home that she will enjoy looking at and will brighten her day. So one day I brought home a single rose...


The Rose
Brought you a rose
The other day.
You smiled
And giggled like a schoolgirl.
Stretching out a forefinger
Stroking each velvet petal
Your voice hushed:
“She’s so beautiful.
I will keep her forever.”

We secured a vase
Gave her water
Found the just right spot
On the table
Adjacent to your chair
Where you doze the day away
While Ellen dances across the screen
And Oprah fulfills dreams.

Found you weeping today
Eyes red and swollen
Shriveled petals carpeting your palm
“She’s gone!
I couldn’t fix her.”
On the table rests
A tangled mass of tape and petals.

Oh my rose
I see the petals
Of your life
Slowly slip away.
With all the tape and pills and prayers
I can’t fix you
God knows I’ve tried

Holding each other close
We weep
For the loss
We can not retrieve.

Perhaps next time
I’ll get you a cat.

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