she left a mark on his SOUL

that looked a little like ROSE PETALS

in a blooming bouquet of LOVE
but when she had to LEAVE

the THORNS dug so harshly

into his HEART

that his LOVE for her

turned BITTER and COLD

like the harshest WINTER night
and the MEMORY of her CARESS
withered to DUST and ASH

and when she RETURNED

with her LOVE for him

made of BOUQUETS of RED ROSES

all he could MUSTER 
was a HATE for ROSE PETALS

and the THORNS on their stems