A vase of wilting roses
Once full of life
Bringing beauty to the room
A source of joy
For those that received them
And for all who would smell them
Or gaze upon them
It matters not how much
Nor how little
Water, sunlight, or care
They received
The wilting was inevitable

Why do we bother to give a gift
That will only grow uglier with time?
Why do we delight in beauty that fades
In only a few short days?

I see myself in these roses
Someday, too, I will wilt
My beauty will fade
Where I once brought joy
Eventually I will be thrown out
No matter how well I am cared for
How healthy I live
Someday it will all be stripped away

The greater the joy a flower brings
The harder it is to dispose of
Many a rose are kept well beyond
The peak of their beauty
For the memory they evoke
Let me evoke great memories
And I will be held well beyond
My wilted beauty