The Prickly Stem

26 Feb, 2026

The restless rose shed her petals

and traded them in for thorns —

but with her passion, she still dreams

in shades of carmine and ruby.

In solo soliloquy, she blends into walls,

beige — seething silently, full of rage.

Her spikes stick out like Venus flytraps,

but somewhere she’s still delicate,

still a flower

that wishes to bloom.