Sipping bordeaux, afternoon delight.
She, the queen of hearts, oblivious.
He, her soul’s sustenance, sits restless
in the tangles of foment.
His love, her peace and windrush.
His lust, her quicksilver.

Poetry is a testament to noticing.
Journal upon the table, pen hesitates,
writing stammers, then suddenly stops.
Eyes look up, gaze high.
Sentinel Eiffel Tower looms
overlooking this changing scene.

Her hands shake, tears form.
Looking at him, she knows.
This seasonal song has no coda,
final movement complete.
He nods slowly, touches her hand,
whispers I’m sorry and leaves.
For her, the summer is done.

Written for Tuesay Poetics at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe. Today Merril gives us a list of names given to roses and asks us to write a poem including at least five of the names. We cannot use the word “rose” wtihin our poem. The rose names are Afternoon Delight, Bordeaux, Brass Band, Cayenne, Desdemona, Ebb Tide, Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate, Mermaid, No Surrender, Peace, Penny Lane, Queen of Hearts, Quick Silver, Restless, Sea Foam, Summer Song, Tangles, White Wings, and Windrush. I’ve included the ten that are in bold print.

Image AI generated on Bing Create.

“Poetry is a testament to noticing” quoted from Poetry Unbound, 50 Poems to Open Your World, by Padraig O Tuama, Irish poet and theologian.