Life is a bouquet of roses
thorns spike the bumpy ride
perfume lingers in my dreams
the buds of life my pride

Many petalled layers
are the years I've loved and lived
the stems are the key players
those people I've been with

Facing proudly upright
flower holding all the rain
together there is unity
to combat any pain

Many different colours
the facets of experience
as the rose begins to age
it's beauty has no resilience

When the bouquet finally dies
a photograph you reap
of dried roses which are memories
the heritage that you keep

You undo me,
expose my fleshy wounds,
open up defences,
as I idly swoon.

Suspended by desire,
my breath is holding still,
ignite inside a fire,
burning at your will.

Vulnerable and naked,
walk into my heart,
embedded there's an arrow,
a piercing cupid's dart.

Seven men who carry a burden on their back
the sins of their fathers who adequately lack
ability to tackle tempting earthly things                                         
a heavy load is born and no solace does it bring

The first is Lustful Harry who desires sins of the flesh
never will he marry or nurture babes to nest
his needs are physical and he knows no other life
lustful thoughts and deeds only bringing strife

Gluttonous Georgie Porgy eats his way through cakes
gorging on sweet meats and plenty of fat he makes
drinking and eating all day and through the night
much too fat to walk and much too slow to fight

The third is Greedy Greta who never has enough
she hoards and always wanting more and more stuff
never being satisfied, gaining is her only plight
possessing everything fills her thoughts day and night

Lazy Larry likes to live life horizontal
lying on the coach or in bed is rudimental
his feet elevated never going anywhere
idle and slothful never moving from his chair

Wrathful Wally stirs up anger in his veins
always moody, his happiness is in chains
vengeful and hateful is the monster he's become
indignation and displeasure means he never sees the sun

Envious Enid resentful toward others
green are the colours of her lonely bed covers
jealous of her neighbours and envious of her brothers
her goal in life is ****** as she never quite recovers

The last is Proud Priscilla who has enormous self worth
dignified and haughty, excessively procured
too high and mighty to accept the hand of charity
inordinate self esteem amidst much insincerity

Her stem a rod of iron
proudly holds a pearl
a rose with many petals
flowering in the girl

Skin softened by the silk
of kindness in her veins
innocent and on the brink
of taking up the reins

Essences flow within
her beauty is unrivalled
flourishing into womanhood
declaring her arrival

Flowering rose of honesty
threshold of youthful verve
exceptionally stunning
blooming on the verge

Her perfume radiates
oozing from her heart
the rose intoxicates
with promise from the start

Flowing locks encompass
her graceful heavenly flare
not yet a woman
this pretty rose is rare

He didn't like what he'd become
pretence filled his soul
wanted to be someone else
reality left him cold

He never owned a problem
blamed everything on others
always hiding in shame
cowering under covers

Learning to manipulate
wanted the advantage
his veins filled with hate
often with a bloodied leakage

Grievances held years
spewing out in fjords
causing many others tears
on hurting he would gorge

Until one day his actions
were brought to book
when he lost his only son
this forever change his look

Bitterness ran rife within
no stone remained unturned
a shrivelled heart left bleeding
was what his actions earned

Poking through my neighbours fence
a climbing vine on smart ascent
tearing through the wooden slat
this winding spiralling acrobat

Overnight there's no curfew
it grew and grew and grew and grew
until it reached the bricks and mortar
nothing stopped it's path of slaughter

Pulling stones from their beds
it carved right through my old tin shed
this triffid is unstoppable
it's destruction is unfathomable

As I worked in my study
it tapped my window, I got worried
a leafy twig forcing entry
the grapevine fulfilling it's inventory

Next day the garland green and raw
spread across my own front door
tentacles ripping out the frame
the climbing plant drove me in sane

It penetrated through my loft
and had more stealth than Lara Croft
crept down to my sitting room
my temper bubbling to a fume

I quickly drew my secateurs      
chopping off one of it's ears
then slashing with my pen knife
before it wrapped around my wife

It was too late to stop the plot
the wine grew strong and tied it's knot
pinning me against the mat
and strangled me in a twisted plait

Seven men who carry a burden on their back
the sins of their fathers who adequately lack
ability to tackle tempting earthly things                                         
a heavy load is born and no solace does it bring

The first is Lustful Harry who desires sins of the flesh
never will he marry or nurture babes in the nest
his needs are physical and he knows no other life
lustful thoughts and deeds only bringing strife

Gluttonous Georgie Porgy eats his way through cakes
gorging on sweet meats and plenty of fat he makes
drinking and eating all day and through the night
much too fat to walk and much too slow to fight

The third is Greedy Greta who never has enough
she hoards and always wanting more and more stuff
never being satisfied, gaining is her only plight
possessing many things fills her thoughts every night

Lazy Larry likes to live life horizontal
lying on the coach or in bed is rudimental
his feet elevated never going anywhere
idle and slothful never moving from his chair

Wrathful Wally stirs up anger in his veins
always moody, his happiness is in chains
vengeful and hateful is the monster he's become
indignation and displeasure means he never sees the sun

Envious Enid resentful toward others
green are the colours of her lonely bed covers
jealous of her neighbours and envious of her brothers
her goal in life is ****** as she never quite recovers

The last is Proud Priscilla who has enormous self worth
dignified and haughty, excessively procured
too high and mighty to accept the hand of charity
inordinate self esteem amidst much insincerity