Faded Petals

A lone figure in a graveyard sits,
hunched over a tended patch,
silence echoes this misty morn,
covered in a veil of grief.

Who or what does she tend to?
so lovingly each day,
a child she lost, a lover too,
who's life on this earth was brief.

Words mumbled inside her head,
as she places one red rose,
this grave holds nothing but deep despair,
where she buried all her past.

The hurt and pain, abuse and more,
deep in the soil to rot,
childhood fears, adult tears,
found a resting place at last.

Time has come to let it lie,
and look onto brighter times,
she cannot live with burden weight
upon her mind and soul.

Inside herself a new life forms,
this is what she says,
"I will not return to tend to thee
for I have a brand new goal.

This gift of life was sent to me,
to let me start anew, stay buried
where you need to be and die
with the petals of this rose.

You've clung to me for too long now,
so I will say my last goodbye,
you served a purpose, now it's past
that chapter I have to close.

The rose I lay upon your mound,
will soon be all that's left to see,
deep red beauty with thorns that hook,
just like you clung to me".

As she turned to walk away,
a slight wind brushed her cheek,
small faded petals surrounded her,
as the past was all set free.

Copyright Karen Canning