Sunday morning. Why be “all in”, attempting a “full throttle” life all of the time? I have such conversations with myself. Sure that’s the my temptation. But, I know better. Calling a “time out,” taking some time for rest on the bench, to use a sports metaphor, is in the interest of playing the game at my highest level. this is a rule-of-thumb, something that holds true for all of us, – in so far as a body is involved…

I like this tune. When listening, the lyric stays with me for some time, and I ponder the subtext, what is implied by the chorus. Pairs of opposites, which must be embraced equally, appropriated with gratitude if one is to learn to live the one life that one has, beyond good and evil.  Consider these antithesis: sublime rose bud vs. a thorn to make you bleed, or dark of night vs. splendor of dawn, or a cowboy with a song on his/her lips vs. a very, very sad song.

Well, here it is: Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Poison. The video is superb. The straight up harmony and melody of youth – juxtaposed with the lyric lines of an “old soul” song writer.  Enjoy!

Every Rose Has Its Thorn

By Poison

We both lie silently still in the dead of the night
Although we both lie close together
We feel miles apart inside
Was it something I said or something I did?
Did my words not come out right?
Though I tried not to hurt you
Though I tried
But I guess that’s why they say:

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings a sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn
Yeah it does

I listen to our favorite song playing on the radio
Hear the DJ say, “love’s a game of easy come and easy go”
But I wonder, does he know?
Has he ever felt like this?
And I know that you’d be here right now
If I could have let you know somehow, I guess

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings a sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn

Though, it’s been a while now
I can still feel so much pain
Like a knife that cuts you the wound heals
But the scar, that scar remains

I know I could have saved a love that night
If I’d known what to say
Instead of making love, we both made our separate ways
And now, I hear you found somebody new
And that I never meant that much to you
To hear that tears me up inside
And to see you cuts me like a knife, I guess

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings a sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn

Lyrics by Bret Michaels, Bruce Anthony Johannesson, Rikki Rocket, Bobby Dall