TUESDAY POEM - Second Nature

It's leaf-scuffing time in our part of the world. I've been appreciating the industry of earthworms.

SECOND NATURE

for Tomas

My son rescues foolhardy earthworms

ensures they get a safe ride home

on his skateboard. It's old, well-used

enough for the grip-tape to hold,

not graze an earthworm's body.

He takes care not to go too fast.

When we're out in the car, we keep a watchful eye

on the road - not because of the traffic, mind

but in case after rain, earthworms might

slither onto verges, tackle the pedestrian crossings

attempt to take on the city's traffic.

"We can't just leave them" he protests

They'll keep on creeping to the middle

of the road. They have no eyes to see

no obvious front or back."

He has a point. Besides, I have my own soft spot

for earthworms, the more since chameleons

bent in gnarled attitudes of prayer

have long since left my garden.

Back home in the kitchen - the earthworms

safely transferred from tarmac to skateboard deck

to fresh-cut grass - I pull out a book

and introduce my son to Rousseau's famous Dream

painting; yellow-eyed tigers stalking

long-legged lotuses, the sound

of a primitive wind instrument

a daytime moon.

In the bottom right-hand corner, he draws

my attention to an enormous earthworm

just leaving.

CB 2006

Henri Rousseau - The Dream (1910)

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