Amid the rains that have been unusually heavy this year
Blossoming forth from an invisible network beneath the yard
Decay personified, but dedicated to spreading new life
Its long red tubules rise, alien, seemingly spontaneous
I ought to be in awe of it, evolved to spread spores on the wings of flies
But looking at its limp red tubular shape
Reading the name on my naturalist app
I can’t help but giggle like a locker room teen
Is it just me
Or does its name
“The devil’s dipstick”
Sound like something
A prudish old woman
Would say, horrified
At the thought of a man

  • Like what you see? Purchase a print or ebook version!