The poem begins "There was a rose that faded young/ I saw it's shattered beauty hung/ upon a broken stem" (1-3). This rose which was once fragrant and rich with a crimson red, has "faded young" and hangs wilted, pale, and ugly, upon a broken stem. The rose transforms from a symbol of beauty to one of death and decay. Sadly, all but one person notices this single fallen rose: he alone appreciates the be

is with animal life. "There was a bird brought down to die" (7). Again we find that something beautiful has fallen to die; no longer will this bird chirp it's lovely song nor trace the clouds in its flight. Yet only one person notices it's absence, while everyone else say's " A hundred fill the sky/what reason to be sad?" (8-9). The same apathetic attitude is reflected- people simply do not care for such "petty" things. For if we did appreciate such beauty we would miss the bird and the pleasure it once gave us while we watched it's glorious flight. In both stanzas Parker reveals the insensitivity of the many and the love of the few.

We are currently witnessing one of the greatest desecration's on Earth, yet only a handful of people live up to their duties as human beings and attempt to stop this destruction. Everyday hundred's of acres are being annihilated in the rainforest. Thousand's of exotic plants and trees are being wiped off the face of this Earth. We are on a path to self-destruction. If we continue to remain indifferent to the desecrations that scar our sacred planet, there will be not one rose left for the barren future that waits.

In the third stanza " there was a girl, whose lover fled" (10). It is a sad thing when love is spoiled or when our lover cannot return the love we feel for them. A girl's broken heart is all there is to show for the couple that was once delirious with joy and happiness. Although, there is no greater shame than a love gone badly, we find that many people feel no pity for what could've been a great good. "There's many anoth

Some common words found in the essay are:
Dorothy Parker, United Alligators, , Elephants Africa, appreciate beauty, apathetic attitude, rose faded, person notices, sacredness love, broken stem, majority people, parker reflects,
Approximate Word count = 1067
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)