Seed

I am not an avid gardener, but having rented an appartment with a small balcony, I now have plants that I have to look after. Unfortunately the hot summer of last year killed off half the shrubs, which makes my gardening duty a little easier! But one thing that I have noticed in the last couple of weeks, is a series of singular, tiny green shoots accompanied by a purple flower, that have started their new life in the cracks of the cement! Although I have seen this before, I haven't really thought about how extraordinary it is.

The Lesson (an anti-pastoral)

The small schoolgirl
   On her way down
      grey Portugal Lane
        late for class
Who brushes a careless
    hand against
        the one green
            nettle that had to sprout
        from yards of concrete
can't believe
    there's no dock leaf
                   to cancel
                       it out.

Tracy Ryan


Seed

Some seeds find their way into
the most inhabitable cracks of
building and cement.
And thrive in adversity;
Their thirst for life greater than
any opposition.

Other seeds fall into an oasis of
paradise.
Nutrition, sunlight, space and
companionship in abundance;
They soak up prosperity and
bask in the glow.

But which seed has the greater
life?


Lily basnet