Ode

Yellow starthistle, Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae)

Haikus 1-11

1.

Foreigner, you’re green

With a pale exotic gleam—

Like bleached army men.

2.

Blending with midday,

You’re betrayed by dawn and dusk,

Whereupon you gleam.

3.

Dry survivor, you

Dig your taproot down ten times

Your apparent height.

4.

All around you dies,

Parched, surrenders, yet you gleam,

Dull-bright, leather husked.

5.

You can tower up,

Unmolested reach my height,

Or mature bonsai.

6.

Wicked trickster gives

Up his purchase, root comes free,

Next week resurrects.

7.

Invasive means this:

I think I can root you out,

You know you can stay.

8.

Simple story here:

driving past, I catch you up.

Bring you with my truck.

9.

Skilled in density –

One square meter, eight hundred

Tiny little plants.

10.

Procreating king –

Imagine one million seeds

Sprinkling one acre.

11.

Eurasian native,

In Alameda nurtured first,

Now live where you wish.

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