From A Place Behind The Smile

The Lovliest Thorns

In a field full of roses, one grew there forlorn

for she had not one petal but a full stem of thorns

She'd grown insecure at her own lack of beauty

For sharing its plumage was a rose's one duty

So she sat there alone as the others all jeered her

Even though they grew close, they never seemed to get near her

As flowers go, she felt that she'd honestly failed

And she prayed her life cycle would be quickly curtailed

She'd never appreciated her standing in nature

Would she need classified with some new nomenclature?

Because who wants a rose that's devoid of its bloom?

All of her rays of hope just cast shadows of doom

Now a prince came to call who was handsome and kind

But love wasn't a thing that he had on his mind

The monarchy claimed to be anointed by God

Which left the dear prince out of place and quite odd

The roses seemed to puff up and lose all their reason

Like some rain forest bird in their prime mating season

They all knew the prince, he had visited before

But had not picked one rose from the bounty nature bore

As he passed up each one, they all leaned in a wilt

Wondering why he passed by and if he felt any guilt

For ignoring their beauty, it can only be insanity

Each flower was blessed with huge helpings of vanity

But this time was different, something in him had changed

He stopped rather fast and began acting strange

Had he finally seen the one that would get his affections

Our bud-less little flower saw him turn her direction

He stood in dead silence, seemingly left in awe

Not one understood what it was that he saw

He knelt to the ground by the one with thorns showing

Then grinned like a fool, his whole face started glowing

"This singular rose is the loveliest of all

The true incarnation of what it means when you fall

So deeply in love with the illusion of colors

That you miss how their thorns tear your insides asunder"

The Loveliest Thorns

In a field full of roses one grew there forlorn

for she had not one petal, but a full stem of thorns

She'd grown insecure at her own lack of beauty

For sharing its plumage was a rose's one duty

So she sat there alone as the others all jeered her

Even though they grew close they never seemed to get near her

As flowers go she felt that she'd honestly failed

And she prayed her life cycle would be quickly curtailed

She'd never appreciated her standing in nature

Would she need classified with some new nomenclature?

Because who wants a rose that's devoid of its bloom?

All of her rays of hope just cast shadows of doom

Now a prince came to call who was handsome and kind

But love wasn't a thing that he had on his mind

The monarchy claimed to be anointed by God

Which left the dear prince out of place and quite odd

The roses seemed to puff up and lose all their reason

Like some rain forest bird in their prime mating season

They all knew the prince, he had visited before

But had not picked one rose from the bounty nature bore

As he passed up each one they all leaned in a wilt

Wondering why he passed by and if he felt any guilt

For ignoring their beauty, it can only be insanity

Each flower was blessed with huge helpings of vanity

But this time was different, something in him had changed

He stopped rather fast and began acting strange

Had he finally seen the one that would get his affections

Our bud-less little flower saw him turn her direction

He stood in dead silence, seemingly left in awe

Not one understood what it was that he saw

He knelt to the ground by the one with thorns showing

Then grinned like a fool, his whole face started glowing

"This singular rose is the loveliest of all

The true incarnation of what it means when you fall

So deeply in love with the illusion of colors

That you miss how their thorns tear your insides asunder"

"You're the truest and most honest flower in this field

Just left here alone being unable to yield

All the camouflage'd beauty that's hiding one's soul

When baring it all should be true love's one goal"

So the rose sat there silent taking in all his words

And though a sweet notion, it seemed somewhat absurd

That the world would accept anyone for this difference

But this was still the brightest day in her clouded existence

So together they sat both seeming detached

Til the prince glanced down at her "I've got to get back"

"But if you stay right here in this spot where I found you

I'll be back tomorrow, I enjoy being around you"

So he got up and left and it seemed the world stopped

And if flowers had faces you'd have seen some jaws drop

For the rest of the field had no way to comprehend

How he'd sat there with her, and was coming back again?!?!

Now this rare little rose had no words for this moment

Trying to analyze each and every peculiar component

Of the whole sudden visit and the change in her heart

From the self depreciating way she'd seen herself from the start

Time stopped completely as she broke down the meaning

All the other flower's jeers were reduced to sheep bleating

What would this prince see that had hidden from notice?

It was a lot to dwell on when she'd always felt hopeless

But true to his word, as the sun crossed midday

He'd sat down beside her and relaxed for his stay

He talked to the flower about things in his heart

And of love he had lost that had torn him apart

He told her his struggles as a prince in this nation

And on the outside he'd fulfilled all his king's expectations

But he felt as she must, in this world full of blooming

There's a show to it all and there were always shadows looming

You try to fit in and perform for the masses

You practice the sword, pass all of your classes

But at the end of the day they know nothing about you

Your hopes and your dreams or the lengths that you go to

He spoke of returning and did every evening

She loved his arrival and lamented his leaving

There was no force around that could define the power

Of the love 'tween the sad prince and petal-less flower

One day a few maids came to pick rose bouquets

And as fate tends to do they walked our rose's way

She caught one maids eye and saw her disapproval

And the maid came her way with intent of removal

This maid bent down to her and pinched on the stem

She'd found one ray of happiness and now this would be her end?

But the maid gave one tug before the others started bowing

She turned, saw the prince, and joined in in their cowing

"You can pick all the roses you want in this field

But For removal of that one I'm afraid you must yield

I'm fond of this flower and she can live out her life

Without ever submitting to such whimsical strife."

The maids bowed their heads and they left in a hurry

Once gone The prince laughed at the speedy way they scurried

"I'm sorry little one once I'd heard they were here

I rode like a wild man powered by my one fear"

"That you could be taken like everyone before

And I can't let that happen. you deserve so much more."

So he sat down again to discuss with his muse

All the trials laid before him, battles he must not lose

So the prince's new sigil was a blossom--less rose

And it grew to be feared by his dwindling foes

But winter was near and he feared the end fated

He could stop all the maids but nature won't be dissuaded

So his visits were frequent as if each day her last

The seasons were changing and he knew the forecast

The days growing shorter as the leaves started fading

The end was upon them there wouldn't be much more waiting

Then one cool crisp day at his regular time

The prince was now absent as the flower worried why

He'd never said before that he'd be there and wasn't

Her mind spiraled back to a placed much less pleasant

Two long days had passed, her hope dwindling quickly

Our rose had become ill and her color grew sickly

The maids were returning all with baskets, dressed in black

And She knew in her heart the prince wouldn't be back

The same maid was there who'd tried plucking our rose

She sat in his spot "you should know I suppose."

"Our young handsome prince was attacked during a travel

His injuries bad and his health soon unraveled"

"So today is the day he returns to the ground.

And we're gathering roses to be laid on his mound.

I know your time's short and now that he has gone

I wish now to aid you so you'll not be alone"

And with that the maid plucked the rose up from her home

And she sped to the castle, homestead of the throne

His body was cleaned and layed out in his bed

Our rose saw him there and tears took all her dread

She loved the prince dearly and without his love's light

She was glad that she'd also be laid to rest the same night

The maid somehow knew that she'd loved this man

So She wrapped up the stem in the prince's cold hand

So together they'd be ,even fading from memory

An unheard of true love, one of life's many anomalies

Maybe in the next life they could love I suppose

The sad handsome prince and the bloomless thorned rose.

"You're the truest and most honest flower in this field

Just left here alone being unable to yield

All the camouflage'd beauty that's hiding one's soul

When baring it all should be true love's one goal"

So the rose sat there silent taking in all his words

And though a sweet notion, it seemed somewhat absurd

That the world would accept anyone for this difference

But this was still the brightest day in her clouded existence

So together they sat both seeming detached

Til the prince glanced down at her "I've got to get back"

"But if you stay right here in this spot where I found you

I'll be back tomorrow, I enjoy being around you"

So he got up and left and it seemed the world stopped

And if flowers had faces you'd have seen some jaws drop

For the rest of the field had no way to comprehend

How he'd sat there with her, and was coming back again?!?!

Now this rare little rose had no words for this moment

Trying to analyze each and every peculiar component

Of the whole sudden visit and the change in her heart

From the self depreciating way she'd seen herself from the start

Time stopped completely as she broke down the meaning

All the other flower's jeers were reduced to sheep bleating

What would this prince see that had hidden from notice?

It was a lot to dwell on when she'd always felt hopeless

But true to his word, as the sun crossed midday

He'd sat down beside her and relaxed for his stay

He talked to the flower about things in his heart

And of love he had lost that had torn him apart

He told her his struggles as a prince in this nation

And on the outside he'd fulfilled all his king's expectations

But he felt as she must, in this world full of blooming

There's a show to it all and there were always shadows looming

You try to fit in and perform for the masses

You practice the sword, pass all of your classes

But at the end of the day they know nothing about you

Your hopes and your dreams or the lengths that you go to

He spoke of returning and did every evening

She loved his arrival and lamented his leaving

There was no force around that could define the power

Of the love 'tween the sad prince and petal-less flower

One day a few maids came to pick rose bouquets

And as fate tends to do they walked our rose's way

She caught one maids eye and saw her disapproval

And the maid came her way with intent of removal

This maid bent down to her and pinched on the stem

She'd found one ray of happiness and now this would be her end?

But the maid gave one tug before the others started bowing

She turned, saw the prince, and joined in in their cowing

"You can pick all the roses you want in this field

But For removal of that one I'm afraid you must yield

I'm fond of this flower and she can live out her life

Without ever submitting to such whimsical strife."

The maids bowed their heads and they left in a hurry

Once gone The prince laughed at the speedy way they scurried

"I'm sorry little one once I'd heard they were here

I rode like a wild man powered by my one fear"

"That you could be taken like everyone before

And I can't let that happen. you deserve so much more."

So he sat down again to discuss with his muse

All the trials laid before him, battles he must not lose

So the prince's new sigil was a blossom--less rose

And it grew to be feared by his dwindling foes

But winter was near and he feared the end fated

He could stop all the maids but nature won't be dissuaded

So his visits were frequent as if each day her last

The seasons were changing and he knew the forecast

The days growing shorter as the leaves started fading

The end was upon them there wouldn't be much more waiting

Then one cool crisp day at his regular time

The prince was now absent as the flower worried why

He'd never said before that he'd be there and wasn't

Her mind spiraled back to a placed much less pleasant

Two long days had passed, her hope dwindling quickly

Our rose had become ill and her color grew sickly

The maids were returning all with baskets, dressed in black

And She knew in her heart the prince wouldn't be back

The same maid was there who'd tried plucking our rose

She sat in his spot "you should know I suppose."

"Our young handsome prince was attacked during a travel

His injuries bad and his health soon unraveled"

"So today is the day he returns to the ground.

And we're gathering roses to be laid on his mound.

I know your time's short and now that he has gone

I wish now to aid you so you'll not be alone"

And with that the maid plucked the rose up from her home

And she sped to the castle, homestead of the throne

His body was cleaned and layed out in his bed

Our rose saw him there and tears took all her dread

She loved the prince dearly and without his love's light

She was glad that she'd also be laid to rest the same night

The maid somehow knew that she'd loved this man

So She wrapped up the stem in the prince's cold hand

So together they'd be ,even fading from memory

An unheard of true love, one of life's many anomalies

Maybe in the next life they could love I suppose

The sad handsome prince and the bloomless thorned rose.