A beautiful Rose
Red as love
Petals smooth as sand
Soft as snow
Rich colour, blood red
Like a broken heart, still beating
Hanging on to a thread of hope

A long time ago
The briars came
Sharp snakes twisting
Round the stem,
Breaking it in two like a twig
The thorns tear away at the fragile petals
Ripping holes like a broken heart
Stamped on
Covered up to block out the sun
Soaking up the water instead
Leaving the Rose to wither
The red has turned black as night
Just dew-drops weeping
Inside its broken heart