Poem: The Peace Rose

If I could catch the scent of this rose And send it from the stream of my nose On the gentle breeze, from this garden to yours, It might stop you in your tracks. The sweet honey musk, taking you aback, Would rob you of your chores As the rose stole a pause.

Be not fooled, it was no easy climb For the rose to reach such heights. It needed help & took its time; Careful pruning, coffee grinds, April showers, May sun shines. It was given life & took to living Now in return is beauty giving.

Each year, with willing, it blooms & grows, Leaves fly on the wind, new wings unfurl. From the rainfall they catch a pearl, Sliding off into the soil it swirls,

Where creatures of the world below Make food for the roots & the roots eat well So the stems stand tall & the buds do swell, Until, in peace, triumphant, the rose prevails.

The Peace Rose, grown by Mak Gilchrist, fairy Godmother & founder of The Edible Bus Stop