Aspidistra Flowers
(Regarding the “Cast Iron Plant” of Vietnam and southeast Asia)
fertile yellow skin
shot with troubles
steaming doctrinal
isms envelope lithe
jungle green ghosts
trenchant histories
turned through wet
tunnels and paddies
inseminate vegetal
lowlands with blood
of aggression sharp
starpoints invading
the shade give smart
sanguine resistance
to whole generations
young warriors come
courting conquest to
die among dreams in
a land with too many
belligerent centuries
grown into cast iron
root stem and flower
a killing field planted
with waves of defeat
Poesy plus Polemics 
Every line stands alone…together, bloody brilliant
LikeLiked by 1 person
cheers, mike
LikeLiked by 1 person
The un`gentle side of nature . . . Challenging . . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
life is a test
LikeLike
Poignant in every sense! Superb lines, sir. I live in Vietnam, tough and tolerant the plant and the land 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you kindly for your affirming words
LikeLike
Strange yet beautiful intersection of natural wonder and historic melancholy. Sad to think of those countless years of human woe stacked up and reified into a big, depressing monolithe. Cue that wise presence leaning in and saying, “you can do better”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
appreciate your thoughtful take on my poem
LikeLiked by 1 person
Extraordinary meshing of flowers and word images ending in prophetic doom. Beautiful poetry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
the Vietnam war era still troubles my soul after all these years
LikeLiked by 1 person