Inked Musings

Poem #16: Desert rose

She was meant to grow on a window sill. Taken care of by gentle hands.

Lovingly nurtured as she'd grow to be the rose she was meant to be. Grow to be the beauty she was said to be.

But she was taken by the wind to a distant land. One that was just miles and miles of scorching sand.

But give up she did not.
She strived to be the rose she was meant to be. She struggled to be the favorite she'd been said to be.

And she did bloom one day.
It was magical.

But good things never last for long. And before anyone could shield her, she was scorched by the blazing sun. She was torn by the terrible winds. She was trampled upon by those who'd run.

And she could do nothing.

But she gathered the courage to find her broken parts. And this time, she built herself stronger. She'd given herself thorns so that no one would pierce her once more. She'd made herself thicker so that nothing could sway her.

She'd be the rose she was meant to be.
She'd be the one others would want to see.

And what if she had thorns? They were a part of her charm. Admire her, but come no closer. She'd been hurt once, and this time she'd be the one to cause harm.

But the thorns could not deter the sun. She could still feel her petals turn to dust.

But she still wished to be the rose she was meant to be. She wanted to be the rose others would be glad to see.

So she became firmer. Her leaves became her swords. Her girth, her shield. Her roots were buried deep and gave her strength. But her flowers could only weep.

For they had to be forsaken.

Lost in the desert. Carried away by the same wind that had destroyed her before.

She was a rose in the desert. A smudge of blood in a sea of gold. Beautiful, but not where she belonged.

She had to give up her delicate beauty to survive.

But she gained a new beauty.
The beauty of resilience. The beauty of strength. The beauty of being covered in thorns but still graceful.

She was beautiful in her own right.
And if flowers did bloom on her one day, they'd not be all she was.

She was greater than the rose she was meant to be.

She was better than the rose they'd told her to be.