looking up

you got a dozen red roses.
but what you'd rather have
was a bouquet of dandelions,
buttercups and weeds.
or maybe
if it must be such an evil flower
as roses are

[sharp thorns that break
pale, perfect skin
red like the roses
too dark and harsh against such beauty]

you'd much rather get
a single black rose
to rest against your chest
as you sigh and sing in your red dress
in the darkness of night