The roses bear

Thorns along stout

Stems proudly held

In bloody fists

And the beauty

Of

Each petal’s

Velvet undulation

Adorned with dew

Droplets

Tracing precariously

Along the edges

Of

Endings

Inspires poets

To define and grasp

Their momentary

Misery

A rose

Arose

But not

Without thorns

For any of us…