Rose Petals
This morning on my walk with the dogs, I came across a narrow stretch of lawn with a small scattering of rose petals. These rose petals though had writing on them. I thought at once at the romantic nature of the gesture, foregoing ordinary paper in place of a far more fragrant and symbolic stationary. Was this once one long note, penned across a single rose? Could there be a more fanciful binding than a rosehip on a long stem? Or were they perhaps pulled apart as potpourri? A collection of romantic notions, randomly mixed with the soft scents?
But then these notes, were not gathered and preserved, but seemingly cast off, which made me wonder about the other side of the equation, the recipient of such romantic expression. Perhaps they were only lost, a rose being so transient in-itself - but I couldn’t help but think they were discarded, and thus an expression of rejection of the writings contained upon them.
Perhaps it was the arrogance, of taking the symbolic gesture of roses and making them so literal. Rejecting the subtlety, the nuance, and ambiguity that such a symbol affords making the message far too direct, and forcing an equally direct response, in this case, an opposition, a rejection. Discarding the words that ultimately came to disfigure the natural beauty of the rose., they were cast off and scattered on a narrow strip of lawn next to the roadside.
The soft flesh of rose petal still carrying the stinging essence of thorn.
But then these notes, were not gathered and preserved, but seemingly cast off, which made me wonder about the other side of the equation, the recipient of such romantic expression. Perhaps they were only lost, a rose being so transient in-itself - but I couldn’t help but think they were discarded, and thus an expression of rejection of the writings contained upon them.
Perhaps it was the arrogance, of taking the symbolic gesture of roses and making them so literal. Rejecting the subtlety, the nuance, and ambiguity that such a symbol affords making the message far too direct, and forcing an equally direct response, in this case, an opposition, a rejection. Discarding the words that ultimately came to disfigure the natural beauty of the rose., they were cast off and scattered on a narrow strip of lawn next to the roadside.
The soft flesh of rose petal still carrying the stinging essence of thorn.