A flash-fictionalized political allegory.
While tending his ailing garden, a quiet hard-working man inadvertently knocks over a box of fat earthworms. Keen to accomplish what they were created for; all of them bid farewell to one another and scatter towards the withering plants. Within moments, each worm had burrowed down into the hardening soil and disappeared. Some weeks later, amused with the spectacle beneath them, a haughty Rose turns to a snooty Sunflower and blusters…
“Look at those dummies. I hate squishy worms. And by the way, I don’t much care for you either, because you always turn towards the sunlight.”
“Really? Well… you always disgust me because you are red and smell like funerals.”
“Is that so, Ok, you happy-faced geek, I reject you because you are taller than me and colored a despicable yellow.”
“Piss off, you Janus-faced rose. I hate you with every fiber of my being, because you represent love, but are full of thorns that wound unexpectedly.”
Beneath them, the earthworms are laughing hilariously. Moments later, one of them stretches up and turns impassively towards the flowers.
“Goodness gracious… do you know what prickly arrogant plants you are? And did you know, that if it weren’t for us, that both of you would get root-bound and die?”
richard lloyd cederberg
7/2020
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We encourage earthworms in our sunbaked concrete hard soil by feeding them coffee grounds. In other words, we, "let them eat cake and caviar."
Ron
Hah! But it's a joy to read this delightful poem! Thank you!
Sandie :)