Forums: Writers: Bed of Roses
7/10/2008 3:10:48 AMBed of Roses 

lawdawg2
Tomahawk, WI
age: 54

A gentleman, on a stroll through town, discovered an outdoor bed of red roses planted in a public park.
After viewing them on a daily basis for several months, and always admiring one in particular, he couldn't resist any longer and decided to select that one out of the bed which would suit him best. In an instant he had plucked it from it's row of other red roses.
He placed that rose in his left breast pocket, the one close to his heart for him to keep and cherish.
The gent would talk to the rose on a daily basis but never complimenting it for it's beauty. Occasionally, at his convenience, he would take a true interest in the rose, but only after that rose would poke him in his chest with it's stem and prod him to do so.
One day, after a few months, that rose lost all it's color and just shriveled up and died.
Thinking the rose would remain with him forever he was terribly saddened by the thought that the rose was actually gone.
Walking by the flower bed a few days later he noticed a gardener tending to the rows upon rows of roses.
The gentleman explained to the gardener what had happened to his beloved rose, so he asked the gardener what he did wrong.
The gardener, comforting him about his loss, told the man in a gentle manner that you have to water, nurture, love, and care for these precious red rose flowers each and every day, as I do here, for the rest of your life or they won't last ... come rain or shine, in good days and bad. He went on to state that you must never neglect them and always remember to keep them as your top priority as they are very delicate.
The gardener asked, as the man was leaving, if he would like another rose from the public bed and the gentleman answered back "No thank you sir, I had selected the loveliest one of the bunch that suited me best but I didn't take care of it".

Original story composed by me.......

7/10/2008 6:26:14 AMBed of Roses 

alicekathleen
Fresno, CA
age: 63

Thanks for sharing, Florida! I wrote a garden story for a contest in Cat Fancy magazine, no luck, and too long for
here, so will put the story lin in a short poem.


Old cat, where are you?
She's gone over the garden
Fence of the house next door.
To find her, I walk around
the block to ring the doorbell.
How many roses here? They
Sway and tumble, fragrant
And as full bosomed as a goddess.
And the man who answers
The bell, garden trowel in hand,
Black hair, smelling of mint,
Will he be kind? When I tell
Him my old cat has found his
Garden, he does not laugh, but
Opens the garden gate.
Inside his garden, plants nod
And greet us, lifting green arms
In the evening breeze. He
Shows me the Secret Garden,
Where the old cat is sitting on
A stone lantern, and with one
Hand he scoops her up and
Puts her in my arms. We
Stroke her, smiling at one another.
Will you come back, he asks?
For a visit to the garden?


Well, that was the story line, wanted a love story for Cat Fancy! Hope to see you back again, alice

7/10/2008 11:37:19 AMBed of Roses 

lawdawg2
Tomahawk, WI
age: 54

Thank you Alice........

7/12/2008 5:59:44 AMBed of Roses 

texaggie71
American Canyon, CA
age: 59

Good story Law !

I've begun to think, of late, that it may be better, for everyone, if the roses just stay in the flower bed. If you pick one, it dies; if you don't it dies, but takes a little longer to do so and more people get to enjoy it's beauty and fragrance. For all the attention and love that one can give to another, it all ends the same way; heartache and death. So . . . what's the use ?

7/13/2008 7:42:31 AMBed of Roses 

maxlite777
Louisville, KY
age: 60

I hope you don't mind Lawdawg2...That was so beautiful I copied and pasted it to
my family and friends as a reminder to "Attend to their Gardens"

Thanks,

7/16/2008 7:52:36 PMBed of Roses 

satinsky2
Charlotte, NC
age: 59

But, isn't the reason that you plant, water, fertilize, weed, and spray is so that YOU and perhaps your family can enjoy the roses. How sad it is to say, what is the use? As if you are not meant to enjoy the roses. If you really feel that way about the Roses, they Will know. So, don't be surprised when they start to die, and no longer bloom for You. If you wonder what they lack, it is Love.