After Roses

    The Rose
                  from thorn to petal
           shows,
                  that never was
                         there found
                                 a smile
                         without a tear.

And thus I know
                   that every face
                                  of joy
                                  has seen a time
                          of harder lines;
                          (about the eyes,
                                         the mouth;
                                 maybe in the brow)

                   {And yet
                    there never was a time
                                 at which
                          on looking at your face
                            I didn't see
                                    a smile}

      And    so    [a rose],
                   from bud to blossom
            grows,
                   without the need
                                 to separate
                          the tears and smiles.

      And yet
            there never was a time of years
                   (or space of miles)
             I could have placed
                 between two,
                    joined as such,
                        to satisfy a want
                              I knew
                                   to be too much.
 
                         a
                       petal
                      a thorn
                   and yet a rose
           and yet there never was a time
                      at which
                on looking at a face
                      I didn't
                    see a smile
                       a tear

---

(c) 1987 Norman Dziedzic Jr.