Fading Rose

 

      My fading Rose with petals white
      Where once you bloomed in gold and blush,
      Your gentle hands, so thin with care;
      Like leaves in the wind they softly tremble.
      Your dimming eyes no longer see the distant stars,
      Yet twinkle just as bright.
      Children once nursed at your withered breast -
      They bear their own fruit now;
      Blossoming with the strength you gave them,
      Growing and thriving.
      What a gift your life has been!
      You once stood strong for all of them,
      You once stood strong for me.
      Alive and blooming;
      Soft and fresh with our Springtime’s morning,
      Deeply rooted in life.

      Ah, my cherished one,
      My fading Rose,
      Let me hold your hand on the pathway here -
      Lend you my strength along the road.
      Soft and tired in the early evening,
      You lay your head upon my shoulder
      And let me stroke your silvering hair.
      Your beauty fades, but oh,
      Your sweetness only grows.
      I will never leave you, dearest;
      We will share the warm Winter of our years.
      The sea will wait amid its grey mists
      Long after your gentle light has been drawn away.
      I savor the hours,
      I treasure the days,
      I can still hold you close,
      Even as my Rose fades.

 


A. Buckles / '03


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