you must cleanse the rot
before the flower can bloom again.
you must dig out the diseased roots
and trim off the dead leaves
you must kill the pests
that eat away at the stems
and only then can it take root in new soil
only then can new leaves grow
only then can the stem support it
as the petals blossom anew
darling
precious rose
you must cleanse the rot
before you can bloom again
YOU ARE READING
thorns and other maladies
Poetryanother collection of poems. *TW: mentions of sexual assault, drug use, self harm and other sensitive topics*
