at night, red roses
shrivel like fearful poems,
afraid of slightest light & breeze -
blossoming petals
hide under bed skirts,
ashamed of bold & silky thoughts -
round leaves falter
under weight of thorny encounters,
hesitant in its footing-
lost is the fragrant
water, that oils the tongue,
sweeter than red wine & cream-
one by one, petals fall
like dead language-
& i, alone & sleep-starved,
don't remember why it is even there -
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Poetics: Dominant Impression in Artistic Description - Hosted by Kelvin S.M. ~ Thanks for the visit ~
really nice focus on touch and texture in this grace....the petals of the flower...their bold & silky thoughts...the round and thorn...suggestive as well...the falling like dead language as well is a cool touch...very nice...
ReplyDeleteThank you Brian ~
DeleteI'm with Brian, I just love the way it all kind of weaves itself together, beautiful stuff.
ReplyDeleteThanks Matthew ~
Deletebeautifully done...tender, temporary, and sensual, as the gift of roses tend to be.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the gift of encouragement ~
Delete...wonderful interpretation Grace... you do give really beautiful artistic descriptions here... the shrivel like fearful poems.. hide under bed skirt... thorny encounters... the dead language... ah, so many careful selections that i really like... and like the bloody roses blossoming in the night inside a half lighted room your poem really bleeds a thousand ways of stillness & fear of nearing retirement...great write...smiles...
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful painting & inspiration Kelvin ~
DeleteThis is a wonderful poem in response to the painting, Grace. I especially like the way you expressed that petals fall like dead language, which is an excellent and evocative simile.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary ~
Delete..this is very nice with your 'sweet red wine and cream'..lost fragrance...evoking great images throughout ;)
ReplyDeleteso descriptive - loved the thorny encounter and the final four lines - beautiful! K
ReplyDeleteRed roses shrivel like fearful poems, nice touch.
ReplyDeletedon't remember... at times, can be a good thing
ReplyDeleteI didn't get the message of the poem, but I do love the poetical images in it, Grace!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful almost made me cry, i felt so forlorn as if pricked by a thorn from a rose. i love the last tine - heartbreaking.
ReplyDeletea release the silky thoughts, and bury the thorns.
ReplyDeleteLovely poem.
Beautiful, Grace... I especially like the last 4 lines.
ReplyDeleteNicely done Grace! The textures jump off the page and beg for touch.
ReplyDeleteLove love love the format you've used here. I really enjoyed this!
ReplyDeleteOh wow "one by one petals fall like dead language" just a wonderful line... thoroughly enjoyed this poem, a work of art in itself.
ReplyDeleteThank you Di ~
Delete"afraid of slightest light & breeze"
ReplyDeleteBeauty, whether in roses or poems, must bear up under scrutiny. Glad your inspiration saw the light.
A scary thought, but I agree, it must bear up under scrutiny ~ Thanks Eusebia ~
DeleteA dying basket of flowers that have lost its purpose. I like how you gave life to the subject. Very nice voice, honest. I liked very much.
ReplyDeleteI like the image of the dying basket of flowers ~ Thank you Henry~
DeleteI do not know where the art ends and the poem follows...really lovely layers of meaning. Well crafted, indeed..
ReplyDeleteGreat capture as they wither away, from the light of day. The cat would eat them so they didn't go to waste though well I guess they still would, but we won't go there haha happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteTerrible to think of memory withering with flowers. But understandable too. k
ReplyDeleteOh, those shameful bold and silky thoughts. Love that.
ReplyDeleteLove the enjambment you use so effectively to draw us on ... beautiful Grace
ReplyDeletenice..the roses shriveling like fearful poems is a cool touch..the falling like dead language and then the closure, not even knowing why there..
ReplyDeletewe are transient things
ReplyDeleteroses and people
achy sad
blossoming petals
ReplyDeletehide under bed skirts,
ashamed of bold & silky thoughts -
I really felt I understood this thought. The jewel in a great work for me.
There are lots of happenings progressively outside our influence that impinge on us. And we may not be aware of them. Truly said Grace! Nicely!
ReplyDeleteHank
You had me at the line 'roses shrivelling like fearful poems' - what a powerful image! Here is to courageous poetry!
ReplyDeleteSeems to be talking about the scene after sex, am I correct?
ReplyDeleteHooked me with the first line. I kind of knew that you'd pick this image and expected that you'd deliver a wonderfully poetic interpretation. I was not disappointed.
ReplyDeletevery nicely done Grace. I love how you stick with responding to the painting, but also veer away slightly here and there into reflective and imagistic verse. Really enjoyed. Thanks
ReplyDeleteYour description make the roses and the scene come alive. Well done.
ReplyDeletetwo thumbs up!
ReplyDeleteNice turn of phrase. I really like it!
ReplyDeletePerfect for after Valentine's Day
ReplyDeleteHeart breaking to think that all the wild wonder that could have been was not. Sad not to have enjoyed that scene.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful response to the picture.
ReplyDelete