Please buy me a rose of bridal white
placed in a vase of anthracite
Wear your suit of wool and flint
and on my tongue a peppermint.
Please buy me a rose of pleasing pink
placed in the pool to turn and sink
Bring the singer who loves the blues
and bury her bones beneath the pews.
Please buy me a rose of funeral black
buy me a dozen, all in a stack
Make the ring from a hangman's rope
Invite the judge, the devil, the Pope.
Please buy me a rose of brilliant red
and remind me you did until I'm dead
Bake the cake with sugar and tar
and preserve my heart in a Mason jar.
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for Word Harden Word List--Ishmael Reed