This is in response to a prompt from Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s webinar Nature as Inspiration and Transformation: An Intro to Nature Poetry: make two columns – lovely nature and not-so-lovely nature. What are the first three things that come to mind for each? Write them down under the appropriate heading. Now write a poem: I don’t want to be the [choose one lovely nature item]. I’m more a [not-so-lovely item].
slime mold over the rainbow
I don’t want to be the shiny rainbow
to sing out Everything is going to be OK!
even though the thunder and lightning
just washed what we know away
I don’t want to be primary-hued hope and cheer
to mislead the bedazzled into searching for a false pot of gold
I’m not here to break dull antiseptic white
into all the lovely shades embedded within
today I’m more the slime mold
dragging myself over the filthy lumpy mud
following a quiet call I can barely detect
searching out the others in our tribe
joining together to grow larger and stronger
trusting in transformation
moving together to a new safe place
with no map or plan to guide us
leaving the hateful violent floodplain behind
forming spores that will someday sow clouds
