Friday, January 02, 2009

LXX - The Case for the Negative.

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Laura Jayne at Pictures, Poetry & Prose poses a daily writing challenge.
The prompt for this poem was “The Beauty of the Rose”.
I sort of took a contrary view but a rose demands a sonnet.


The Case for the Negative

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose,
By any other name, would smell as sweet.*
Thanks but it’s not the name that’s on the nose,
It’s all the rosy problems that I meet.

There are aphids, thrip, moths and red spider,
Rust and black spot, catapillars hairy,
And the thorny branches can provide a
Most nasty wound to the unwary.

You often need to prune and deadhead them
To shape and otherwise try to train them;
And then worry if you’ve overfed them.
It really is a pain to maintain them.

Frankly, in the garden I am too lazy:
Ditch the roses, plant a daisy.

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© J Cosmo Newbery
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* Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet, (II, ii, 1-2)
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8 comments:

  1. i don't even plant a daisy ..
    i just let the weeds and the wilderness be.

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  2. I agree with those sentiments 100%. To put it bluntly, roses can suck it.

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  3. I tried to plany roses one year but my dogs(black labs) tore them up and treated tehm like chew toys. I like daisys though but they dug those up too!

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  4. Are you trying to hide your last post by burying it under a rose bed?

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  5. My, you've been a busy boy. Out in the garden? I'm jealous. Mine is under a foot of snow.

    The Trophy Cabinet is a fun feature... spiffy, even. Maybe a style blog is next? ;)

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  6. I do love roses but those thorns and pruning can cause nasty wounds.
    My beautiful white 'Iceberg' rose died last year which was sad as I liked to pick the blooms for indoors; now when I fancy roses I just buy myself a bouquet, great, no thorns. ♥

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  7. to paraphrase john lennon, "let it grow, let it grow...."

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  8. I do so adore when you are contrary.

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