La Hire

Phil Skurski

 

I’m painting the Roses Red
I’m always painting the Roses Red these days
Ever since Charlie—
Well, you know.


Judith insists the Roses be Red
These days,

we’re only growing them in White,
as White and delicate as a Paper Rose
each glob

of Red Paint
pulls down

each petal

of White Rose.

So each morning I wake

early enough to

paint, all of the Roses Red

before the sun shines

So Judith—and I—

won’t see the White Roses.
We’d all much rather see Red these days.

So I paint,

Until the day

The Roses—again—grow Red

Euphemism Campus Box 4240 Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4240