The Poetry of Geri Rizzo
THORNS
As the rose disrobes itself of its petals in autumn,
Divesting itself of its beautiful exterior,
Baring its thorns to protect its nakedness,
So do we bare ourselves to each other,
Unburdening our fears, our dreams, our anxieties...
The snow falls, bringing the cold and the rose shivers not,
For its thorns remain intact lest someone forget its presence and tramples it.
And when once again the sun smiles upon it, bringing warmth and love
The rose reaches its peak of beauty.
It puts forth its velvet petals
And boasts of the summit of its delicacy and vulnerability, as do we.
Alas! The thorns are ever present, lest one should pluck a petal and wound the stem,
The core of our being, our soul...
Beware to the plucker, lest he be pricked by a thorn
After having debased the rose in doing so!
Thorns, horns, armor, amor....
We must protect ourselves against that painful entity, love
Lest it be plucked away and scar our hearts forever.
Geri Rizzo