I’ve decided to try to play with poetry occasionally and use one of my own photos as a prompt. This one was taken on Budleigh Salterton beach – I’ve never seen fungi on a beach before and keep thinking about it. Feel free to use my photo if it inspires you in any way.
Beach fungi
what happens to fungi by the sea?
does it adapt to salt misted air?
to a twice daily shower of English Channel
surviving and thriving on salt flavoured weed
evolve fins from mycelia that creep
from drift log to drift log
make demands to be hosted by a pilot whale?
or migrate across oceans on hulls
of a thousand white sails
mutating as arctic or tropic prevails
will it thrust roots and tiptoe inland seeking dry darkness?
to fester and squat like drinkers in a wine cellar
feasting on microscopic bacteria aerosoling
spores to caress rafters and beams
or overcome by saline will it dry
and then die crumbling along with the remains
of the 50p an hour deck chair
once graced by many a Budleigh derriere
Lucid Gypsy 
The end made me giggle 🙂
Me too. 🙂
Terrific poem! I could ‘see’ this line in particular: “will it thrust roots and tiptoe inland seeking dry darkness?” And I agree with Bjorn … the surprise ending is spectacular.
LOL the laugh at the end is superb but in no way diminishes the serious, well conceived thoughts before it.
This is great stuff, Gilly!
“evolve fins from mycelia” – that’s a great line, Gilly!
such an adventurous fungi, not hard to imagine with your fine words evoking images, and laughter … keep writing gilly!
Gilly, you have a fine way with words. 🙂
I haven’t seen a fungi by the beach too and this photo is a fun surprise. Wonderful poem. Have a great weekend.
Amazing poem, Gilly. You do find inspiration in the strangest places. Loved the last stanza, especially. 🙂
Gilly, this is one unique poem. Your use of words and rhythm is lovely. I like the second stanza best — but I have to say the last line is a beauty!
I love this poem, Gilly! I thing the best poems are about the concrete things in life, things people wouldn’t normally think of writing about… like fungi! Great!
Clever, Gilly. With a tinge of science too!
derriere 🙂
Love the poem. Good job!
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Intriguing image & a very effective poetic response.
it is a great image Gilly and I love the poem…especially this line: ‘to fester and squat like drinkers in a wine cellar’…wish I had written it
The last two stanzas are brilliant! Lovely shot too.
I haven’t seen fungi look so good in a long while. 😉