"Your Long Stem Rose (a thorn in your side)"
By Chris Madsen
Explain it to me in ways
which can be misunderstood.
Draw me as your villain,
paint me in shades so grim.
Speak with riddles,
leave my mind puzzled.
Tell me I’m a martyr
of my own will and conviction.
Allow me to be the unsolveable
problems of your manifestation.
I’ll be the storms which
flatten your unbuilt houses.
I will be a long stem rose
so you can pick off my thorns.
Let’s roll the dice, take a gamble,
bet on doing it all again tomorrow.
Chris Madsen is a former Scout Sniper and US Army Veteran. You can find more of his writing here.
What’s happening at VetRep…
VetRep is thrilled to present “God of Carnage” by Yazmina Reza for the month of September. A playground altercation between eleven-year-old boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses, and the rum flows, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.
Tickets have been selling out, reserve yours before they’re gone!
We are currently offering multiple dates for our online and in-person Playwriting for Veterans classes, and our Acting for Beginners class is now being offered weekly every Saturday from 10am-12pm. Scholarships for qualifying veterans, as well as multi-class passes are available. Registration details can be found here.