are for purity
signify goodness of heart
embody innocence

red roses

are for love
signify depth of emotion
embody respect

white roses when dead

brown, like flesh aging, rotting
corruption of that purity
death of youth and goodness

red roses when dead

dark, like blood drying, crusting
betrayal of that love
fallacy of trust in volatile emotions

~~~~~~~~

In anger, out of breath, face flushed, she broke the stems, snapping them one by one, before stuffing them violently in the garbage can and running back to the solace of her now flowerless bedroom, where she flung herself onto her bed and whispered into her pillow, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Isabel.”