One Red Rose

When things go wrong

When the bell tower sounds,

Tolls the hour of need

You appear

People murmur, question, whisper,

'How did he know?'

They think you did it yourself

You'll never tell

You offer help, the answer,

But always at a price

They object, but you know they'll accept

You laugh

You relish your power

Cackle at misfortune

Spinning your straw to gold, you falter

You frown

No one understands

No one tries

Except for her

You're lonely

One person who cares

One person who returns, stays

Weakness

You flee

One red rose

All she held in her hand as she left

One chipped cup

Your only memento

Broken eyes swim but refuse to fall

Discarded vase from the pedestal

Your only memory is placed on high

You turn away

Your loom beckons you

Does salt water tarnish gold?

Belle, beautiful, where have you gone?

The wheel turns

Curtains go up once again

On your windows, on your heart

Both dark again

You are alone

You will never surrender your power

No matter the cost

You cannot let her win

Not even for love

An open heart is weakness

An Achilles heel

A luxury you cannot afford

So you say

You raise the cracked cup on high

Yet refuse to gaze upon it

To look is to remember is to be weak

You turn away

You drove her away

You swore you had no heart

That she could not get in

You were afraid

You gaze at the curtains

As if you can see her through them

As if you can see her returning

You know she won't

The news of her fate strikes you

It cannot be true, it cannot be true

The witch must be lying

You finally cry

She thought you would be weak

That the pain would destroy you

It did not

You grew cold

One red rose

One chipped cup

One heart torn in two

You will never forget