UBC rose garden (postcards from Canada)

golden hour melodies
leads me through
campus grounds, into
kaleidoscope hues.

i am lost, in
dream state.
dissassociations,
sweet reverie.

forest green
over-grown leaves, 
embellishing
infancy to decay. 

a bold watercolor palette, of silky satins folded with care.
some painted flushed, like cheeks from a first kiss.
or canary yellow, like the innocence of childlike wonder. 
or the boldness of a swan’s fluttering, on midnight skylines. 

some mono-color, 
some soft ombre, 
all the imperfections,
divinely perfect. 

i want to etch
each flower
into my memory
for lifetimes to come.

my left index
traces
lines
from petal 
to stem. 

opfh..

a jolt 
refocusing
back into
my body. 

a thorn’s prick
into pale skin.
rising to surface,
deep crimson.

oh..

it feels like
        a
  flooding, 
       of
  sensations, 
       and
  realizations
      that i..
i was merely 
a strategic piece
used by another,
for selfish gain.

simmering hurt, 
flushed 
embarrassment. 
suppressed
velvet anger.

i should have known better.

i act
unbothered, 
keeping 
it bottled. 

an allowance
of waves
throbbing
pulsations.

soft but firm,
i pull out
the thorn-
giving it my blessings.
it too, 
deserves my compassion.  

i put my finger
to my lips
and kiss 
the wound. 
i too, 
deserve my compassion. 

i breathe 
through each
wave of 
discomfort. 

i welcome
it’s betrayal.
but i will not
reciprocate.

i rather care
too much, 
than too little.
 
to give it another moment’s thought,
would be to be pricked twice.

oh,
my phone is ringing.
my friends are calling.
i know what they are about to say-
“i’m late.”

i take in
one last breath,
in bloom fragrance
of the UBC rose garden,
then
i let
it
pass.

and carry on my way.