Cactus Rose

Mystery Plant

I'm trying to write a poem worthy of this photograph. The working title is either "How the Rose Lost Its Teeth" or "How the Rose Got Its Thorns"

I know this isn't really a cactus rose, but I don't know its proper name. All I'm fairly certain of is that it is some kind of succulent. I found this plant in the Whirlwind Mission Cemetary, a little south of Faye, OK.

Opening lines of that poem in progress:

Before the turtle was born
Before the stars learned their names
Before yes, before no
Before the alphabet was formed
Before lightening dreamed of the mason jar
Before snow found its dance
We were waiting for the rose.

When the moon was boiling
When the sun was drowning
When the whirlwind
built a ladder into the abyss
We were waiting on the rose