Love’s Rose

A red rose lying on a beach chair

A white beach chair
sits
on the sand waiting
for a surprise rendezvous.

I walk barefooted
along the edge of the ocean
watching the waves
roll in,
roll out,
and listening
to the cry
of a lonely gull.

Turning my back on the waves
I return to the chair,
there
lying on the seat,
with its red petals
and green leaves
proclaiming
a secret admirer’s desire,
a rose
give my forlorn soul hope.