This is an old rose, decades old. It has seemingly died more times than can be counted.
Then there is new growth, a rebirth, life again:
“We do this to ourselves don’t we?
Run, as if we can burn off the anger and pain.
Hide, craft shells and excuses, blame others for absence,
then blame ourselves because we are closer at hand.
But some things don’t die.
They just get bruised.
Like love mistreated, rough handled.
Buried in sorrow, wrapped in barbs.
That is this life, is it not?
Offering these new, fresh leaves, guarded by thorns.
Offering old clichés about roses and love
and your soft eyes and sweet mouth,
the space between dreams and darkness,
between dry, barbed stalks, and tender, fresh leaves
that are hope against a brittle past.”
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About michaelstephendaigle
I am the author of the award-winning Frank Nagler Mystery series. "The Swamps of Jersey (2014); "A Game Called Dead" (2016) -- a Runner-Up in the 2016 Shelf Unbound Indie Author Contest; "The Weight of Living" (2017) -- “The Weight of Living” was awarded First Place for mysteries in the 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Award contest;
Named A Notable 100 Book, Shelf Unbound 2018 Indie Book Awards;
Named a Distinguished Favorite, 2018 Independent Press Awards.
Named a Distinguished Favorite in the 2018 Big NYC Book Contest.
Named a Finalist in the 2019 Book Excellence Awards.
Named A Gold Star Award winner in the 2020 Elite Choice Book Awards
Named a Book Award Winner in 2021 by Maincraft Media Fiction Book Awards;
The Red Hand (2019) a Distinguished Favorite in the 2019 Big NYC Book Contest
Named Second Place winner for mysteries in the 2019 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards
Named a Notable 100 Book in the 2019 Shelf Unbound Indie Book Awards
Named a Distinguished Favorite in the 2020 Independent Press Awards
A Nominee in the 2020 TopShelf Book Awards
Named A Gold Star Award winner in the 2020 Elite Choice Book Awards
Dragony Rising (2022) First Place for Mysteries in the 2022 Royal Dragonyfly Book Awards; named a Notable 100 Indie Book in the 2022 Shelf Unbound Indie Book Awards; A Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 Independent Press Awards. A Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 Big NYC Book Awards.
“We do this to ourselves don’t we?
