Lily's Rose Garden Poem by ShellyBean Stanowski

The cloudless summer day
beckoned him to the rose garden,
'her' rose garden.
Opening the gate he wondered,
how long had it been since he dared
to walk on this hallowed ground?
The flower's fragrant welcome
encircled him,
drawing Charles' memory back
to his Lily, his wife of 52 years.
How many times
did they stand at this ancient gate,
sharing gentle kisses,
tender embraces?
As he reached
her precious flowering children...
Charles hung his head in shame.
The weeds of time were slowly choking
the life out her prized beauties.
He could almost hear her chiding voice...
'Oh Charlie, will you look
at these wicked weeds? Tsk tsk.
The minute my back is turned'...
With his eyes brimming with tears,
blinding him at first,
he reached for a vine...
while his mind was drawn
backwards by time.
He could see his Lily in all her beauty
right at home,
amidst these flowers.
More beautiful than her fairest rose...
at first Charles was shaken to the core,
for this was as real
as he'd ever seen her.
But as her hand brushed his arm
he realized,
his Lily was there before him...
then as suddenly as she was there, she was gone!
He dropped to the ground and sobbed.
What cruel vision would leave him
in such a state...
and then he heard the wind
whispering....
'Charlie, take care of our children
and remember my love, where ever there is
a rose blooming, I will be there with you'...
Lily's Charlie continued weeding the rose bed,
all the while he felt her loving hands
guiding him.
Feeling a pride swelling inside of him,
with the knowledge that he was nurturing
the only children they had ever known.