Image credit: Crispina Kemp June 2025
Shops brim with roses
Not a scent to them
Designed for the eye, not for noses
Men of all ages crowd around
With panicked hope bound
For this special once-in-a-year day
His chance to say
She means a lot
A single rose, the price extortionate
To buy the key to her padlock
52 words written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt: Padlock
crispina kemp 
A lovely poem for Valentine’s Day and a beautiful photo of yours too 🌹
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Thank you. It was basically composed during my walk home from Sainsburys, having seen those men crowding around the roses 💖
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Ah – yes the only time they may consider buying them! 😃
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It was that cynical thought that sparked the poem
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👌
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Lovely !
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Thank you 🙏🥰
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Wow-good!
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Thank you. After I posted it I thought it ought to be ‘her heart’s padlock’. But that would have totally messed with the wordcount. Besides, that padlock could be on something else!
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2nd-guessing is usually wasted effort, in my experience💖
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Something I’m always hiding myself for
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Oops Chiding!
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I love this clever poem and your photo is gorgeous! 🌹
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Thank you. It’s a very old rose, it was in my garden when I moved here, all but lost in an overgrown nettle bed. I love how it now blooms!
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beautifully said …sadly true 😁
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But if a man gives you flowers and it’s not your birthday or valentines, don’t you get a little bit suspicious?
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This is great take Crispina.
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Thank you, Sadje. I wanted to add one more word, but managed to keep to the set count
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Yup, these limits try our creativity.
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Since I’m inclined to overwrite, these weekend prompts are excellent training for me
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I agree that we all need this practice
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It’s good discipline
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👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
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🙏🥰🥰🥰
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Very clever 💜💜
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I thank you 🙏
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I actually did give roses to E.J. this Valentine’s Day. Note they did indeed have a scent.
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Lucky EJ. That’s so unique!
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