Just One Rose

June 21, 2011 at 1:15 pm · Filed under Poems, Sometimes it just hurts ·Tagged author, Bunk Stringer, Charles L. Mashburn, grandpa, just one rose, love, luther benjamin stringer, pa stringer, poetry, story, writer

I know I said it was all grade school Tuesday, but I’ve been waiting for a chance to put this one on Poetry Potluck, and just realized this is the perfect opportunity. One of the themes this week is “sorrow”, and this was written in one of my times of deepest sorrow. My beloved grandpa, had passed on, and unable to attend the funeral, I sent a vase with one rose in it and this poem. One of the family framed the poem and set it beside the rose; both were next to him during the service. I hope you enjoy the poem.

Just One Rose

 

I don’t believe in sending flowers

Especially when someone’s gone

But I’m gonna break that rule today

And send you just this one

 

For one is all it takes to say

How this boy loved you so

& though I know it’s to a better place

I still hate to see you go

 

There’s so much that I could say now

About how much you meant to me

And maybe later I’ll write a book

For all the world to see

 

I’ll tell about the jokes and stories

That you always loved to tell

How you made us laugh for hours

Yes, you could tell a tale so well

 

I’ll tell how you were always there

When anyone needed you

For your daughters and their families

There was nothing you wouldn’t do

 

 

 

But for now I’ll send this rose

And a few more tears I’ll cry

This red rose says I love you

I’ll miss you, Grandpa…. goodbye

 

Copyright © 1995 C. Mashburn

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