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Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. Leonard Cohen

Sunday, July 3, 2011

White Roses

Poetry Jam has challenged us to write a "dark" poem about flowers. Mine needs a bit of explanation: I volunteer for a local hospice, and each year we have a Service of Remembrance for those in our program who have died that year. The family members are each given a white rose at the service.


image source
The roses are a sea of white
To bloom within a sea of tears
Each bud held tenderly and tight
The roses are a sea of white
We pray to Heaven's gentle light
For hope to guide us through the years
The roses are a sea of white
To bloom within a sea of tears.

submitted for Poetry Jam, Flowers

16 comments:

Bryan White said...

Simple & beautiful.

Peter Goulding said...

Lovely triolet to celebrate what seems to be a very powerful event. Well done you for volunteering

JustRex said...

Oh my. I don't think I could do hospice work. That would just tear me completely in half. The poem about the roses was perfect. Thank you.

Fireblossom said...

That's sad, and beautiful too.

The Bug said...

My dad got a white rose from hospice the year after my mom died. This is a beautiful poem - sea of tears indeed!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

This is very lyrical. Just lovely. I've worked for hospice too - such a privilege.

Louise said...

A beautiful and extremly emotional poem, and one that many will relate to. You should think about sending this out!

Brian Miller said...

perfect tag on this...white roses certainly rbing thoughts of loss...to me.

Helen said...

I also attend the Service of Remembrance with our local hospice ... this is perfectly beautiful ~ and sad too.

Enchanted Oak said...

A good and simple poem about a powerful, unspeakable experience. Hospice has been my mainstay in the loss of my mother. Thank you for volunteering.

ayala said...

Beautiful !

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

Lovely poem!

Poetic Soul said...

I love it and the story behind itI love it and the story behind it

Rachel Hoyt said...

Excellent words for a hospice aniversary. I can imagine the sea of white. Heartbreakingly beautiful.

BStuart said...

This also makes me think of Parents having a new born baby girl and watching her grow up thru the years.

BStuart said...

This reminds me of New Parents of a little girl (born Month of June)((June is the month for roses and the white is pure and heavenly)) that look to the future and what it holds for them. Little girls and boys grow up and leave home and the parents look back over the years of their upbringing. What do you think?