Far Below Ice Lies A Rose

7/27/98 2:23 pm
Charles Dum

A frozen pond
in the midst of summer
didst shift in the light
with quite a glimmer.

A lonely travler went
to see the queer sight
and found pleasure
much to her delight.

For when it is hot and you've got
fire-faeries beating down your neck,
a pool ice is quite nice
in heat as hot as heck.

For strange as it might be
the fair maiden saw this as well, 
and she thought it was worth seeing
so stared for a spell.

The sight she saw that day,
if you are so wondering
was that of a rose far below the ice 
that was growing.

She stripped down,
preparing to swim
and dove in to the ice- slicing 
through the cold like a pin.

Down she swam through the ice
to reach the rose
and down she swam
until it touched her nose.

She stared at it for a moment
thinking just water to do
and decided her action 
to take the rose before she was blue.

When she reached the top,
she was out of breath-
though she got out of the water
and the icy grip of death.

She laid the rose 
as careful as could be
near her puddle of clothes
and looked to see-

The rose now in bloom
from the heat of the sun
shone now released from it's tomb
and the leaves grew like one.

While the young lass
dried off and redressed
the rose took root and it leaves
tickled her in jest.

A man, walking through the woods
heard this giggle
And went to investigate
seeing her away from the leaves wiggle.

Well, chuckling to himself
he went closer to find
she as alone as he
in the woods at this time.

So he came closer still,
shadow covering his face
and didst pluck the rose as an offering 
to her in this place.

Not sure her reaction,
he bent his head low-
but a smile issued forth
and somehow this he did know.

For he looked up,
brushed the hair from her eyes
then gave her a kiss on the cheek
much to her and his surprise.

-----

Many moons have passed,
many starlit nights gone by
and now the two have been together
since neither did die.

One goes away to travel,
and the other waits steadfast
for the weeks to go by 
and the time to be past.

For they wish to be near,
and not seperate
by the distant of an ocean
that the other not be late.

But time is a harsh mistress
as we will all find-
only they see more often
that the fates are as cruel as time.