A single rose tossed to the ground
The fading stem cut off from its roots
Left by a forgetful lover
Its only view is that of mud-caked boots

The April showers may bring flowers
But this time its left only mud
The once life giving sun
Now bakes its leaves turned to crud

Kicked and mostly buried
Yet for reasons unknown refuses to be hid
Until one pair of shoes halt and it's lifted up once more
Clutched in the hands of a kid

Smiles light up a freckled face
For this day is Mother's Day
He left the home hoping to find something to give
Trusting he would though he had no money to pay

Half scorched eggs lie upon the tray
A cracking plastic cup holds up the resilient rose
Next to another holding pulpy juice
Then left as the boy runs up for a pair of clean clothes

Shaken and wobbly
The tray precariously makes it's way up wooden stairs
And enters a darkened room
Holding a mother's form who slept while saying her prayers

And the boys young face tightens in concentration
He sets the tray upon the bed
Yet suddenly the rose's companion falls
And bright orange soaked the sheets before the boy fled

In a fit of temper, woken up much too early
The mother awakes to see the mess
And screams her well-intentioned son's name-
The juice spilled upon his mother's favorite dress

The tray slips and slides onto the ground
The rose once more rolls away unnoticed
Into the corner it lays
Feet away from the cup that held the Sunkist

Staccato heels punctuate the dusty floor
Grumbling muttered from the form above
The mother's eye catch a flash of red
And her gaze rest upon her son's unshapely token of love

And reaching down her face softens
Guilt pricks her heart from her sharp words spoken
She walks slowly down the stairs
To find her son weeping, spirits broken

Kneeling down she reaches out
and rests the rose upon his knee
Choking back tears she whispers
Was this for me?

His tear streaked face looked up to hers
An ashamed nod is her answer
The rose spoke the words he was to embarrassed to say
And the mother knew he was trying to please her

Reaching out maternally
She washes off his face
And together hand in hand they walk away
And the rose lay on the ground, forgotten in it's place