Where Roses Bloom: A Pantoum

Written for Living Poetry. Bartholomew asks
us to write a poem inspired by the image below ,
using the words account, charity, and garden.

The stone fountain plays beneath the open sky,
Where blooming roses hold a quiet grace.
The whispered winds give each old stone account,
And colors dance across this hidden place.

Where blooming roses hold a quiet grace,
The waters spill in sweet and pure relief.
And colors dance across this hidden place,
A living charity for human grief.

The waters spill in sweet and pure relief,
Across the borders of the vibrant garden.
A living charity for human grief,
Where ancient blooms offer a tender pardon.

Across the borders of the vibrant garden,
The whispered winds give each old stone account.
Where ancient blooms offer a tender pardon,
The stone fountain plays beneath the open sky.

NAR©2026

Nancy’s Notes: A pantoum is usually built from a series of four-line stanzas (quatrains) where specific lines are repeated in a cascading, interlocking pattern. To bring the poem full circle, the final stanza traditionally uses the opening stanza’s third line as its second line, and the poem’s opening line as its closing line.

This is “Rose Garden” by Glen Campbell

Monday Poetry Prompt: Account, Charity, Garden

^{Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.}