FIDELITY

In the backyard of my crumbling house

Where lichens, cacti and wild bushes

Have made a home for themselves

A rose has sprung both pretty and mysterious.

As the waking morning sun

Kisses its soft and pouting lips

It unfolds its silken tresses

And rocks its head in affirmation.

But as the weary sun heads for its daily execution

It bats its eyes, folds up its limbs

And curling up in fragrant sleep

Drifts far off on the steed of dreams.

People from all around pour in

Gaping at this celestial miracle

For whoever saw a rose behave

Like a sunflower sensitive.

A tempting hand flutters near

A cry of pain is heard here

‘Keep off, keep off’, the delinquent says

Its thorns are sharp and deep.

I and my Rose then exchange

Furtive glances of understanding

A malevolent, at this, comments:

‘Put it in a flower vase’

‘Oh, no’, cry I,

‘that would be high treason.’

~Ravi Dhar~