Lamentation

“I had it right here. In the fold of my robes. It must have fallen. I won’t be a minute. I can get another.”
        “Another what?” she asked.
        Another rose. Another rose from my garden. It was so beautiful. For you.”
        “But the king will return. Nevermind the rose. What is it you want to tell me?”
        “I can’t do it without the rose. Just give me time to run back to the garden. I need to say the words with the rose.”
        “I don’t have all day. The king will be back any minute now. Can’t you just say it? I can pretend you have the rose. I can imagine the rose is there.”
        “It’s not the same. It’s just not the same. Ohhh, why did I drop the rose?” He wrung his hands and looked toward the path.
        “What’s the big deal? Just tell me! I don’t want the rose. I want you to tell me what you were going to tell me!”
        “I just can’t. Not without the rose. I had it all planned.”
        She took his face in her hands.
        “My darling. We do not have time for you to go to the garden. The king will be back any minute. I am here. Now, if you have something to tell me, then you should tell me, lest your chance be withered away by some unfortunate circumstance regarding a rose that I do not care to have.”
        “So you don’t want the rose?”
        “No.”
        He reached inside the robe where the rose used to be. His hand still searching, searching, searching.
        She crossed her arms. “Well?”
        He opened his mouth, but no words came out. “I’m sorry. I need the rose. I need to say this with the rose. I had it all planned out.”

Lamentation

        He left her and ran back down the path, toward his garden. In the distance the horns announced the return of the king. He imagined her bowing to him, kissing his jeweled hands.
"Ohhh, poor beautiful rose," he cried. "If only I hadn't lost you..."