o meditative rose
what occupies thy thoughts?
no dreams of meadows lost
can steal your train of thought

o contemplative rose
abreast a sky so high
a furtive smile on a face
so long removed from sighs

o reflective rose,
what upsets thy thoughts?
lost in the heart's forgotten realms
I forget not thy fondled stem

o introspective rose
scour the land tonight
and find my lover's heart
to set my fears aside

o perceptive rose
speak to me, soft and clear
hum a lullaby for together we stand
as the night approaches near

ahh, forgive me rose,
i confess i must pray
gripped in our inevitable embrace
i cannot escape thy thoughts today,
for 'tis but my youthful grace
that knows not what thy beauty conveys.

2003