After Valentine's day
I went into a Newtown
newsagency to buy
I went into a Newtown
newsagency to buy
Monday’s paper
mainly for the TV guide.
Along with my change
the sales person, a woman,
gave me a single dead
red rose
wrapped in clear cellophane -
“A present”, she said, smiling.
Hoping to revive the rose
I put it in a glass of water.
When she came home from work
my daughter was curious
mildly jealous –
the only valentine between us
a wilting red rose
way way beyond
resuscitation
