Life Is Roses

They say that life is roses,
And it’s truer than they know.
It takes lots of time and trouble
To make a rosebush grow.
There are bugs that like to eat them.
They’re picky about their soil.
The wrong amount of light or water
Can ruin all your work and toil.
And even if you keep them living,
That doesn’t mean that they will bloom.
A scraggly coil of thorns and leaves
Is a rose without perfume.
But if you spray and snip and fertilize
And fortune favors you.
You may be gifted with some gorgeous blossoms
That last a week or two.