Roses wither
but their thorns remain
and as such are also
those who have a wicked heart.
Their gray hair
may deceive
the eyes of the beholders
who are looking at them,
arousing them compassion,
and the expert and bewitching voice
the listener's ears,
pretending wisdom,
but there isn't a rose in the world
that loses its thorns.

July 30, 2019