Rooted Deep (Poetry)

Sadness is a weed that grows
beside some mental door
it chose this damp and lonely spot
where nothing grew before

Its leaves hang grey and shrivelled
its thorns curve thin and sharp
its flowers die unopened
and its roots lie deep and dark

It strangles all its neighbours
nothing else endures too near
its tendrils squeeze the life out
it reeks of doubt and fear

Old memory is mindful
of all its garden needs
so prunes back shoots of sorrow
before it spreads or seeds

But deep it sinks and dormant
immune to years of frost
it stores its poisoned promise
that bitterness unlost

Sun germinates new roses
while darkness harbours knives
for always lurking in the soil
the sadness weed survives