Noxious

Daily Note

Every day, a photograph, a poem. At first I was excited to see this plant, what seemed to be a green, growing succulent though we now have snow on the ground again. But then I remembered what it is: a noxious weed that takes over the native grasses livestock and prairie creatures need to live. Although it is pretty in both leaves and its yellow, snap-dragon like flower, it is not helpful to the landscape and its creatures because it just takes over. The livestock ignore it, but if it’s around, the plant the creatures needs is not.

Dalmatian Toadflax: PDF and Information

and it’s poem….

Poetry

Noxious

I look so pretty
unfurling leaves
wrapping the stem—
like a spiraling succulent
in a rose-like leaf tip
and eventually
a lovely yellow
snap-dragon like flower;

But I am not;
I spread and spread
and overtake the native grasses
livestock need to feed
I am the noxious weed
dalmatian toadflax;
I am everywhere
I should not be.
Sheri Edwards
02.16.24 047.365.24
Poetry/Photography