NATURE’S IRONY

Sometimes roses bloom early.
They awaken to the sun’s rays because
They are too beautiful to be hidden; and
When they bloom,
Their petals stretch
Hugging the beauty of nature—
Only found when we open up. but
We learn that 
Opening up leads to vulnerabilities
No matter how many thorns
We have to warn
Off predators. and
Some roses learn too little too late that
Controlling these vulnerabilities is a
Matter of life and death. that
Opening up can mean 
Being taken for granted
By other roses
And other plants
And other hands…
The life of a rose
Rests in the hands of generations.
Generations that have
Picked roses for their beauty
While ironically admiring their deaths…
Have you ever seen a rose cry?
Tears shed as each petal falls
Leaving naked stems 
Up for interpretation.
When did being beautiful 
Become so cruel?
When did the beauty of a young woman
Become her fault?
When did the beauty of a young man
Become his weakness?
Our roses have been tricked!
They have been picked so many times, by
Generations before us.
Our roses have grown sick.
Poisoned with unnatural elements
Disguised to provide nourishment.
Our thorns no longer weather storms
They wither in darkness.
Coming to the light
Is a journey made impossible
For those
Who forgot what the sun looks like…
Blinded by the shadows that
Comfort our insecurities.
Stuck in a facade that
Controls our lack of reasoning.
Weakened by the weeds that
Climb toward our trellises
Stopping us from breathing freely and
Accepting the beauty that life provides us.
When did leaning on each other for support
Turn into deliberately
Pulling each other down?
We have become house plants Sheltered by our surroundings
Growth stunted by a lack of belonging.
We are no longer wild flowers longing to
Embrace life or each other.
We no longer feel
Love, passion, appreciation?
Why do we feel anger, envy, and
Unfulfillment?
We rather compete with each other
Than build up an army of 
Beautifully defined free thinkers?
What happened to dancing in the rain?
Did that used to wash away our troubles?
What happened to shining flawlessly
In the sunshine?
We used to look so much happier.
Before these shadows created frowns.
Now
Our roses are becoming discolored.
No longer vibrant.
Color Blinded?
Just there.
We no longer see
Rainbows.
Just double.
Visions of ourselves no longer
Radiate from within.
They taunt us from society and
Dissolve at the surface
Haunting us from the outside
In.
Mirror images (mirror images)
Just ghosts looking for a
Reflection.
Who knew that the thought of 
Beauty,
The thought of 
Life,
Would be…
Would be the scariest thing
Society would search for, but
Would never have to go far to
Find.
Have you ever seen a rose cry?
Tears shed as each petal falls
l e a v i n g  n a k e d
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