A Rose by Any Other Name
written by: Karina Longo
The sun leaked in flashes of orange and red,
And so did he — the man in the shadows.
Lying — in more than one way —
A pool of crimson staining the stone tiles,
Folks gathered around, cheering and clapping.
I rushed and cried, “You are not well!”
I took his hand, but he pushed me away.
Yet his eyes told me more — things I’d rather not say.
He leaned in and whispered,
“Let them roar — this is my last show, my fated display.”
I couldn’t resign — not the man with the sky in his eyes.
I kissed his chilling lips, my way of promising
What he would not take.
“I see how you are in pain.”
His mockingbird voice brushed my ear as he said:
“What you call pain, I have called a fair show,
For both are but another word for rose.”
Karina Longo is a neurodivergent Brazilian poet currently living in Italy. A passionate writer, she finds poetry to be the most natural way to express herself, her words often carrying a cinematic and mysterious quality, yet always rooted in honesty and emotion. Her work is inspired by music, memory, and the small, haunting details that linger in the mind. She is drawn to themes of longing, transformation, and the unseen connections that shape human experiences. When she’s not writing, Karina is immersed in music, finding endless inspiration in melodies and lyrics. She enjoys long walks, where the rhythm of her steps often mirrors the cadence of her thoughts. She also loves reading stories from fellow writers that transport her to different worlds, feeding her imagination and her love for storytelling. For her, writing is not just a craft but a way of understanding and engaging with the world, one poem at a time.
Latest posts by Karina Longo (see all)
- A Rose by Any Other Name - November 7, 2025
- In The Shadows - February 22, 2025
