Upon a cliff, desolate, remote,
There was a field of flowers.
A yellow rose stood among the group,
Yet alone in her darkest hours.

Though assured and constantly claimed to be loved,
This rose found some claims hollow.
She saw their love marred by ifs and buts,
Conditional love? She could not follow.

Then one fine day, she peeked down the cliff,
Spying a white lily in bloom by a river.
The lily looked up; they felt each other's pain,
They shared every laugh, sob and snigger.

Years passed by, and each time the yellow rose
Spoke of unconditional love, the white lily nodded.
The lily would assure that though the world may change,
Their bond would stay separate and unbothered.

For years, from cliff-top and river-bank one could hear
Proclamations of love and backing.
For years, their bond seemed permanent and unfettered
With their relentless giggles, rants and chattering.

Then one fine morning, the yellow rose awoke,
She peeked down, saw the lily and giggled.
She shouted her greeting, but to her great dismay,
The white lily seemed unwilling to listen.

"A mistake for sure! She loves me so!",
Thought the yellow rose, pained but hopeful.
With no other way to get her message across,
She plucked a petal and threw it, it was painful.

Each breeze she searched, every wind she rummaged
For an answer, for any sort of an attempt at explanation.
But her mind told her unwilling, reluctant heart
That any reason would be hollow in this situation.

With every passing second, the rose's singed heart
Was being consumed by the fires of bewilderment.
With each passing second, her disbelief melted,
Slowly, excruciatingly, into resigned acceptance.

The white lily had taught her the most important lesson,
Unconditional love is more easily claimed than shown.
And though her heart cannot help but still love this lily
And the flowers, they have not what she seeks, she now knows.

Fury, seething, burning, controlled,
It rises within this rose.
Betrayal is bad enough, but betrayal of love?
Betrayal of love is the worst.

Penned by my hand on the 24th of Chronos, in the year 995 AF.