the gardener's lot in poetry

from the gardener’s perspective
she trims and she prunes the roses
to spread and preserve their beauty
holding them back so that
what remains can shine

to the blossoms however
the gardener is the literal devil
raining down capricious death and destruction
for reasons the flowers cannot comprehend
rending their very flesh away from themselves
leaving them to the painful process of healing
if any survive this monster at all

the thing is however
they’re both right
the roses and the gardener
they both have their point
in their context
in their place
and it’s a lot of why
being alive is
maddening