John Anderson Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

Listen to poem:

rainfall on roses, petals fall

I grew a rose from cuttings
pinched from a loved one's plot,
watered at ground-level, not at the top.
Dung and mulch kept well away, 
from stems lest their collars rot.
In time, it grew buds that blossomed
into flowers, a bounteous bouquet,
with bursts of red petals, blood bled.

It started with a sprinkle 
like from a watering can, but grew.
into a torrential shower
blasting the petals
onto the ground, all around the roses,
which were stripped bare,
to stems, buds, shredded leaves and thorns.
I cried to see all my endeavors lost.
All my efforts lost in vain 
to sometimes rain, falling on my roses,
with disdain of rain, utter and complete.

But, when I looked again
I saw the petals all spread out
as a lovely bedspread quilt 
surrounding the stems,
on the bare cold ground stained by rain.
Their beauty astounding still,
with red blooms shed, shredded, departed, 
garlanded into a ring of petals 
that arose to save our day.

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Kim Rodrigues May 19, 2025 at 7:01 PM There is significance in those petals and in perapective. My dad’s roses shed. I took 3 petals and laid them by the angel in his small rose garden, thinking of my mom. She has no grave but an urn, so these things I do. Enjoyed this write, John! John Anderson May 19, 2025 at 8:36 PM Thanks very much for your comments. As a gardener I face the impending devestations every day, and in relationships shared as well.