Why the Rose Keeps Blooming

author’s note:

The proof of what I say is you.


WHY THE ROSE KEEPS BLOOMING

Some believe
the rose struggles to break free from the bud
because it wants to be lovely
but no—
it’s possessed by a mad desire to live.

However
after opening its eyes
the flower may discover
it resides inside a little cage.

The rose may then sink into self-pity
but soon enough
that willful plant will rise up
to protest the injustice
and as the flower finds its strength
a new bloom will come from the old one.

The bars of the cage
will then surrender to its power
and fall down to the ground
like the dead shards of a husk.

But alas!—
beyond the parameters of fallen cell
the rose will find another cell.
So though our hero enjoys
the extra space it’s earned
it still feels caged.

And so, as before
the rose will rebel
and by struggling, grow some more
and so
the bloom will bloom once more.

But just as before
after the cage breaks open
a new cage will emerge from the shadows.

In this way, that stubborn perennial
will move through a succession of cages.
The irony is:
because it expands with each new blooming
no cell ever feels big enough for that plant.
And so, the rose continues to grow
to the very end.

Maybe like me
you look at your petals
and see brown blotches
and ragged edges—
our blooms reveal our battle wounds—
yes, in this fight for life we’re scarred.

So I will try to solace you now
by telling you what I tell myself:
a flower with a blemished blossom
always speaks lovelier
than one still stuck in a spotless bud.

mythsteps · why the rose keeps blooming

Survival: poetry book
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© 2025, Michael R. Patton

The Taming of the Terrific Two

author’s note:

Artwork by Dr. Sal de Mar.


THE TAMING OF THE TERRIFIC TWO

Looking for a righteous cause
a modest couple adopted
two wild-eyed orphans
from the far-flung mountains
of Tierra del Fuego.

But the kids didn’t seem to appreciate
that well-intentioned gift—
the restraint of their new tidy home
spurred them to a rebellion of storm.

Those little inferno tornadoes
spun through the rooms—
whirling papers, overturning chairs,
ripping through curtains and couch cushions.

But the patient parents persisted in their discipline—
telling the terrific two:
in order to function in this world
you must learn to sit still
for more than the length of a sneeze.

And indeed, the kids eventually did
out of respect.  But
were only able to tolerate the harness
because they still danced in their hearts
to the song of the del Fuego blaze
playing in their heads.

Fortunately as adults
they’ve found ways to express their fire
within the lines of lawful conduct:

we see them lighting the torch of a righteous cause.

Maybe the rustic philosopher said it best
when she said:

lightning tamed
will not destroy
but light the way
for us all.

Get the Message: a short guide for understanding dreams
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© 2023, Michael R. Patton