effeuiller la rose
by Emily Chang
rose petals strewn across the mountain trail
a lovelorn path, damp and trampled
cries burst from my lips, my fingertips scatter
ragged amidst the mud and stones
my ruby robes torn into wispy husks
lifeless in the gloom of a lonely mountain
i’ll give you my trust to break
from hands outstretched, my rose to take
rip off my petals one by one
until i’m a bare stem and stamen, leaving
your fingertips tinged with my pollen, my scent
dripping off from the summer rain
as you brush away the lingering red
clinging tearfully to your hands
scatter me along the stream
into the mud and stones of the winding path you take
away from what we shared and planned
the moments fade as you descend
and for a while after we part
after my thorns failed to prick your hands
my petals remain for passersby to wonder about
wilted travesties of my love
fragmented into dependency
trodden in the trail, victim of my uncertainty
after sunset the darkness consumes
and my petals decay, never to bloom
About the Author
Emily is a rising high school senior from Bellevue, Washington. She enjoys writing poetry and short fiction, particularly writing that explores the darker complexities of new technology or romantic tropes. Her short stories have received statewide recognition in the Future Problem Solving Scenario Writing competition, and in 2020 her work was nominated for FPS judging at the international level. Emily’s poetry won an Honorable Mention from Write the World’s Poetry and Spoken Word Competition in 2020. Emily also runs for her school’s cross-country and track team, dabbling in sports journalism as editor-in-chief of Seattle Empowering Athletes. She loves exploring vegan recipes and hiking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.