Fruit Follies

A poem

Potent are the perfect

gifts that proliferate

within the wild,

that bring a smile

when they touch

the tongue,

such that one

cannot easily

leave any remaining.

The apple,

blueberry,

wineberry

and blackberry –

all these have earned

the endless praise

of humanity.

Indeed, mothers

and fathers

and others have

warned the children

that these, not the

sweets that rot

the teeth,

are to be honored

with the bite.

But do they know

that the nemesis

lies not in the

sweets but in the

sweetness?

Are they left with

the shallow

assurance of health

while going about

their gleeful

gluttony in the

natural goods of

the woods?

Then will the words

“sick and tired”

become literal,

because they will

find themselves

blindsided by the

disguise of the leaves,

while the animals

will take care to

look past them

and thus moderate

their desire.