for the love of one red rose

“A life filled with love must have some thorns,  
but a life empty of love will have no roses.”—Anonymous  

my canvas and my ink  
the sky and sea  
whose lyrics i lip-sync  
pure love for thee  
the prickle and the blood  
my sacrifice  
the fragrance of thy bud        
my paradise  
 
the whisper of the wind  
your lullaby  
redeeming where i’ve sinned  
to pacify  
deep catachrestic passions  
that i ride  
unlimited by rations  
or by pride  
 
as if you were the only  
rose that bloomed  
you stand there sweet and lonely  
unconsumed  
a secret blush paints your  
resplendent cheeks  
good-fortuned connoisseur  
i'm he that seeks  
 
to cull thee. yet i cannot  
break the neck  
of one unblemished flow'r, spot  
with one speck  
the elegance and poise  
of one red rose  
thus by dark poets' ploys  
left comatose  
 
© Copyright 2020 August 15  
by Clyve A. Bowen♫