Tag Archives: tomb

Day 28 — Fox + Fire

Starting to feel like I’m running out of time & there’s still so many fun fungi ideas I wish to explore. But I have to get this one down. So it’s back to the fabulous fungilegium form to capture another extraordinary genus of mushroom.

Today’s Factoid is perhaps the silliest of the month — & as such, quite possibly my favourite.

[Disclaimer: Another block of catch up poems, all written on the correct day (Tuesday) but unable to get online in time.]

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fungilegium: Night-light Mushroom
Mycena chlorophos

Emits mysterious green glow in the dark.
Beautiful word. Bioluminescence. Say it. Ahhh!
Concentrated colour in the cap & blades.
(chloros = green, phos = light). Bright light in night.
Attracts insects which disperse spores.

Technical. Luciferin molecules oxidise/catalyse 
luciferase enzymes. I don’t really know. But energy 
ie photons released. Thus. The neon green scene. 
Naturally this magic light : creates local legends,
supernatural phenomena, magic, & omens.

Like JayC in the tomb : only lasts three days 

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Day 28 Factoid — Two Wise Old Men Ponder How Word Order Matters

Foxes on Fire

Aristotle observed bioluminescent fungi
382 years before the birth of the big guy
called it “Foxfire” & said was cold to touch

All month I’ve been thinking of a spy novel
read in high school wondering if I can use it
in a poem — to discover just then it was called

“Firefox” — so not even the most tenuous fungal link

Day 5 – in firing range

This is the poem I started writing yesterday till all the might have beens that never were muscled its way out into the world mid-draft. I’ve gone back to it today & finished it off.

in firing range

despite insane frustration with inept governments :
& debilitating rage at arrogant greedybloodhungry
multinational corps’ ruthless relentless unabashed 
pillaging of the planet : part of me knows — i
can’t really complain : for since that so long past :
never forgotten : sunday : i too have failed to meet targets

failed to reduce emissions (though reducing consumption 
would be more benefit) : failed in every known dataset
that supposedly counts : for something : in life : 
marriage : career : kids : success : legacy : wealth 
accumulation : financial security : et cetera : & : ad nauseum

for the longest time : failed to even notice
i’d been trapped in a tomb : since the first 
of those soulharrowing three days : over three
decades ago : the stone rolled back on me :
unaware : unable to escape my darkness

the difference i suppose is my failure :
has destroyed predominantly me :
(with deepest apologies to a handful
of beautiful people who were caught
in the crosshairs of my grief) : whereas
it is currently the world : being crucified 
now : & into the firing range : of the future

NB I'm really hating the new WordPress. It's repeatedly refusing to let me upload photos saying I'm not connected to the internet (even though I am & capable of opening other pages, watching youtube videos, etc. It's highly frustrating & causing the delays in posting.

April 19 – Day Nineteen: the theme continues

Still at country retreat. Same Word Press issue.

This came in a white hot rush & has barely been touched.  It’s almost Day 18: part 2. Or draft two. Or whatever. It’s a better poem than yesterday’s, that’s for sure. Was posted on fb 11 hours before midnight!!! I was impressed.

On at least one level the inspiration for today’s poem should be obvious.

Tomb

Buried. In darkness. Alone.
Wake surrounded. By the scent of aloes.
& bitter perfumes. All is dark, cold. Every
atom aches. Every muscle. Wine soaked.
Sinew & bone. I am sore. To my core.

The air smells. Mushrooms. Liquorice,
Damp smouldering wood. Eat the aloe.
Make myself sick. Eject the poison.
Wounded. In dark places I dwell. Alone
In a cave. Just me. & my angels.

*****

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