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<<if visited() - 1 eq 0 >> <<set $readpoem to 0>>\
<<else>> <<set $readpoem to visited() - 1>>\
<</if>>\
\
<<if $readpoem eq 0 >> <<set $bloom to 0>><</if>>\
<<if $readpoem eq 0 >> <<set $stem to 0>><</if>>\
<<if $readpoem eq 0 >> <<set $location to 0>><</if>>\
\
<<if $readpoem neq 6>>\
<<else>>\
<h1><font color ="BF0000">a rose</font></h1>\
<</if>>\
<<if $readpoem neq 1>>\
<p class="indent">//-- <<print $readpoem>> seasons after//</p>\
<<else>>\
<p class="indent">//-- <<print $readpoem>> season after//</p>\
<</if>>\
<<if $bloom eq 0>>\
a nearly thornless rose. notable, the bloom, red,
fully spread like a spun dress
or the circles in the heart. the [[petals]]
frilled and serendipitous as a summer hat;
<</if>>\
<<if $bloom eq 1>>\
a rose's bloom, spread like warm notes
rung from the family room. how it circles
about the heart, the petals fanning
<html>                 </html>like the [[summer|petals]] of your hat;
<</if>>\
<<if $bloom eq 2>>\
red roses like this, and their family
rosaceae, are often noted
<html>                 </html>for their flowers;
<</if>>\
<<if $stem eq 0>>\
also of note, the stem: arching, hard,
with leaves.
the body, narrow as a tiptoe
or a loving stroke
or a fully-intentioned
[[promise|stroke]]. and a number of thorns that curve
like golden ratios or waves or the wings of birds
of paradise or cinnamon or the small valleys of the ear;
<</if>>\
<<if $stem eq 1>>\
and of note, the stem, [[long|stroke]]
as the stroke of water beneath
the boat, as a tiptoe or the promise,
curved like the fact of it,
<html>                 </html><html>                 </html>or the missing
in rainbows, your ear;
<</if>>\
<<if $stem eq 2>>\
though in fact, the plant has no true
<html>                 </html><html>                 </html>thorns,
but prickles: small, protruding from the green stem's skin;
<</if>>\
<<if $location is 0>>\
found in wasteplaces,
roadsides, clearings. in canada
and south to minnesota, illinois, kentucky
trellises, gardens, apology
letters. throughout. widespread. nearly [[everywhere.]]
<</if>>\
<<if $location is 1>>\
found in some gardens, kitchen tables.
popular in accompaniment with a [[note|everywhere.]], from here
<html>                 </html>to there,<html>                 </html>wherever.
<</if>>\
<<if $location is 2>>\
popular in gardens, roses are capable
of growing in nearly any climate.
<</if>>\
<<if visited() eq 1>>\
and each petal the shape
of a reflection and every [[memory|love]] i thought
<html>                 </html>i had soft, light in my hand, fragrant
like strawberries and round and rotten and burrowed
and sweet
<</if>>\
<<if visited() eq 2>>\
<html>                 </html>now keeping by the sun,
the petals somewhat brittle, dark
like flakes of blood or berry [[preserve|love]]
<</if>>\
<<set $bloom to visited()>>
<<if visited() eq 1>>\
significantly, all of it a green
the color of the underside of winter
<html>                 </html>or a found [[thought|love]]
melting about a field or barrow or the color that aubergine is not
<</if>>\
<<if visited() eq 2>>\
now all of it a significant green (if i'm not mistaken) like your thoughts
as a child about a field someone [[moved on|love]],
<html>                 </html><html>                 </html>with plans to reserve a house
<</if>>\
<<set $stem to visited()>>
<<if visited() eq 1>>\
but in this case,
a fluted vase, ([[borrowed|love]]),
like a small scafolding of light, playing cards
<html>                 </html>standing somehow still, in ways,
after years
<</if>>\
<<if visited() eq 2>>\
now a kind of paper itself, the rose, by being,
<html>                 </html><html>                 </html>is in service of the garden, embraced
<html>                 </html>between faces of wax paper, and here
<html>                 </html>this way forever, [[still|love]]
<</if>>\
<<set $location to visited()>>
<h1><font color ="BF0000">[[love]]</font></h1>\