Sounding the life cycle

Stay silent, stay prone
Recum­bent, even
Under this late-flowering can­opy
Dead-headed to pre­vent fur­ther
Infest­a­tion, molesta­tion
To pro­mote new growth
Of tell-tale green shoots
Split open, then, to stop the telling
Of plants talk­ing back
Through mouth­ing leaves

Stay silent, stay prone
Open to the touch
Of these tender traps, if you let them grasp
At your ankles, nip­ping the skin
Ener­vat­ing, instig­at­ing
Some­thing over which
You lack all con­trol
Split open, then, torn from the inside
To bloom on the branch
And fall after

Stay silent, stay prone
Gasp­ing for the rain
To scurry after the briefest of storms
Gauz­ing you behind fine droplets
Intim­at­ing, pal­pit­at­ing
Break­ing for cover
Remov­ing your­self
Split open, then, rise from the water
Wash out each new wound
With fresh vigour

• See also Hands together and eyes closed