The Dublin Bay Rose

• Published date: 27 May 2023
• Publication title: Mix, The

you dig it up to give to me, I thought

wow, I better look after it and water it well.

I used a plastic milk bottle to water over the deck,

leftover water from pots, I didn’t want to waste water.

the hose didn’t reach.

In spring, there was always one rose amongst the daisies

In winter while weeding I got pricked unexpectedly.

Was your advice right? I wondered where I would go.

Every year I looked at that rose,

and this year I notice it again. I picked it.

Put it inside among the lavender.

I didn’t know you had left on a plane,

to the northern hemisphere sky and beyond.

A surprise five months later

No...