Roses

You gave me roses. 

Deep red, dark red, 

almost black. 

I thought they were beautiful, 

My blood-fed roses. 

You had one for me 

Nearly every time I saw you, 

And I hung them upside-down 

From my ceiling, in my windows, 

So that they would dry and last forever. 

I wanted them to last forever. 

Soon, I had a vibrant field of roses. 

A crimson sea of roses. 

And then one day, too many roses. 

Too many red velvet tears raining in my room. 

Too many thorns scratching the finish 

Of our once-golden love. 

Now all I have are my garnet roses. 

Growing old, wearing thin, becoming fragile. 

But still they are beautiful. 

Like my memories of you.