With a smile in his eyes
He paused when she took it
And watched as her eyes
Rolled over the perfection
That flower contained
'Till finally that connection
Was made with a kiss
That first rose he gave her
Following his first I love you
He handed to her with the weight of the world
Pushing down on his soul so exposed
But one smile from her eyes
Took all the weight away
And he lifted them both sky high
The last rose he gave her
The last rose he held
It had her name to it but her acceptance unsure
For things weren't the same
And neither were they
Neither as individuals nor as a couple
There was love but not the same
Some anger and some blame
And not knowing if there was enough love in him and in her to hold that rose together again
So that last rose was given
But I'll not expose the timing of things
It could have been just now
Or many months ago
And yes, while it is up to them to decide where they go
It is the fate of a single, long-stem rose
Blood red and long of thorns that will show their fate to the world
Does that rose still live
Was it planted or pressed between the pages of a heavy book
Was it taken by one party and tossed by another
That is the story of the rose we look for
