The Cherokee Rose

She leads us on the trail where the Cherokee cried.

She reminds us of their pain and suffering.

Her white petals represent the tears of those grieving mothers.

Her yellow center is a symbol of the gold taken from their land.

The seven leaves on her stem are reminiscent of the seven Cherokee Clans who suffered a harrowing journey.

She shows us the frozen agony of their 900 mile walk to a strange, new place.

For each tear shed, and every step taken from Georgia to Okalahoma, the Cherokee Rose bloomed.

Yet, the beauty of its' blossom causes us to lose sight of its' sorrowful roots, the Trail of Tears.