WEEDS

They are flowers too once you get to know them

I was once a plant, my kind once

flourished in the fertile valley of Cush.

‘Till my ancestors offended the gods

From the Garden of Eden we were banished.

 

In Canaan my descendants settled,

and we were giants !

Then the Fig Tree came,

divinely favored, they claimed the place.

From the Promise Land we were evicted.

 

In remote outskirts of Serengeti

Among lions den, I have been sown

From the stalks of my hands the wildebeest fed

Here I found my place, I called it home.

 

But tranquil life was short lived as morning dew.

I've been uprooted, my family too.

We sailed the ship of Amistad

To a foreign land our seeds were scattered

Some rebelled, some escaped rather than be shackled.

 

For eons my kind wandered like gypsies

Vagabonds we lived and slept in tepees

We scavenged, thrived in hedges and mountains

Sometimes displaced in your favorite garden.

 

I have been labeled, branded as nuisance

Your hatred and prejudice fuels resilience

But one day, my kind will be the answer --

Global famine, starvation, cure for cancer.

 

I am not who I was, a weed I'm not
Just a misplaced plant ...

by NeiL ArandA 12/17/2013

 

Author's Note

" We see things not as they are but as we are " - H.M. Tomlinson

" Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow there firm as weeds among stones " - Charlotte Bronte

" I have a dream that one day I will not be judged by the color of my skin but by the content of my character " - Martin Luther King Jr

" Fig Tree " - The apple of God's eye
" Canaan " - The Promise Land
" Cush " - Part of Garden of Eden where 4 rivers ran through, near the river of Gihon
" Amistad " - Slave ship

My first ambitious attempt to write in free verse or free style. This piece is open for any interpretation and critique.

Reviews

[Ghost of Jupiter]

wow, this is a brilliantly deep and fantastic poem Neil! You speak of so many topics that I can really dive into, I feel that being a weed, is the best compliment anyone could give. As you have stated above, being a weed means that one has been able to grow in an environment perhaps foreign, where they have had to fight for survival. Weeds are quite lovely in my opinion, they produce some of the most beautiful blooms. I adored this poem, Neil... well done!

[NeiL ArandA]

K you're giving me so much undeserved compliments. If it impressed you I take it as a compliment. I'm glad that you could feel and relate to the plight and situation of the Weeds. They though somehow resembles the struggles of the tiny moth or butterfly inside a cocoon trying to break free. The Weeds struggles to find its own identity and place in a world filled with people who looks down on them and marginalize them because of their color, race and creed.

[Ghost of Jupiter]

It is a heartbreaking situation when people are too closed minded and do not see people for who they are inside. I see where you have tied our previous conversation about the struggles of the butterfly with this piece...quite clever, and of corse you are talking to me in terms of my beloved fluttering winged friends. Through all this I imagined a beautiful monarch landing on a gorgeous flower, bloomed from what is considered a "weed", but is a flower just the same.

[NeiL ArandA]

Ha Ha absolutely clever K ...I'm glad the butterflies are not choosy to which flower they would like to land and associate with ..

[Frank]

My father-in-law loved all plants, his regular saying was there are no such things as weeds, some flowers and plants are just unwanted in our gardens, he would say.

He was forever in love with the thought that as he planted one seed he recouped a thousand at the end of the season, he never get over that miracle.

He planted a plot of land each year with his favourite vegetables and flowers, at the end of season he planted winter veg, things like leeks and endive. He collected fruits and made into jam and we ate when we visited enjoying the natural taste free from additives other than sugar.

On his walks Vader would carry a penknife and some small polythene bags dusted with rooting powder. As he found any new plants on his walks with the dog he would quickly take a cutting and pop into the bag. Was it stealing, technically I suppose so, it was the only mean or criminal act he ever engaged in. He saw it as free bounty, although he did not acknowledge God, I like to feel he did acknowledge HIm in the gift of HIS creation of the natural world.

Moeder fussed over her house plants, one grew six feet wife hung on the wall like a massive stags antlers, some kind of fungus. She watered every days, speaking to them in hushed tones, stroking them and smelling. She spent much time re-potting and splitting into smaller pots and giving away as presents to friends and family. I don't know of anyone who loved God's creation of this beautiful garden we call Earth as much as them until now.

Vader and Moeder loved their plants, adored them and you write about them in such a way that I am sure you and them would have enjoyed each other's company very much.

Well done!

[NeiL ArandA]

I love plants and gardening. I may have acquired that from my grandparents more from my birth parents. My grandparents were farmers by trade anyway. My grandfather has this habit or knack of selecting and gathering seeds from neighbors, fellow farmers and friends which produce a superior variety of fruit bearing trees. My grandmother favorite was plants with colorful flowers. Being around them much of my tender years sort of infused to my veins their hobbies, interest and passion. They were not religious either but they are the most caring and prudent person I have ever met in my tender years and always willing and have something to offer when somebody need a helping hand. They have resources to dispose since they know how to save and live below their means. Your parents in law have something or lots in common with my grandparents. Thank you Frank for your precious time and for sharing these lovely and fond memories of your family and loveones. Appreciate your thoughts.

[Frank]

A detailed and large poem, a lot of work going on here, fascinating to read. Well done.

[NeiL ArandA]

Frank ..this piece was supposed to be my entry piece for an amateur poetry contest in New York. Suppose to have some monetary prizes. So I have to create something that has some unique idea, historical and a little controversial and applies to our social issues and problems yet offers solutions. The submission didn't materialized for I found the poetry contest a hoax and scam to draw writers to submit their piece then fry them with their own oil. Thanks Frank

[Briana O'Connor]

This is ingenious! I just love your creativity. I've always wondered how a "weed" is any different than all other flowers. Dandilions are just as pretty as other flowers. Sure they may grow a lot faster and over populate, but they are still one of God's beautiful creations. Thank you for sharing your sentiment.

[NeiL ArandA]

Glad you saw and like this one. I was trying to join a poetry contest with prize award. This was my entry piece but I found out that the contest was a scam.... I try to bring some shades of light to the plight of these misplaced plants so we won't look down and hate them if they happened to wander in our favorite garden. Thanks Briana

[Aethereal]

Yes, a weed is such a wild thing, but it survives to pass its wild survival genes on along with the genes for our food crops. In this way, it preserves our food crops just in case they ever die out. I was inspired to write this song-poem for you to keep as your own:

Crops & Weeds

Food for man, or food for game
crops and weeds are both the same
deep within their gene’s domain.
Weeds are wild, but foods are tame,

one is strong, the other’s lame,
one has freedom for its aim,
one’s a slave, and that’s a shame.
Crops must go to whence they came.

[NeiL ArandA]

Aethereal ... you never stop to amaze me . Your poem are absolutely right on the ball. Weeds do have a humble and rough beginnings ... It is also true to any people of race and creed. I am now so indebt with your kindness Aethereal ...

[Aethereal]

You're welcome! Biological diversity in both plants and animals makes each species all the stronger. Weeds are just an expansion of plant diversity without which our present food crops would be threatened with extinction through lack of genetic adaptation. Along with our crops we must also preserve all the weedy ancestors of our crops to ensure their safety. That funny looking weed in your back yard may very well contain the gene that saves our entire corn or wheat crop someday; it may also contain the one and only gene that saves us all from some future disease. Human diversity is just as important.

[NeiL ArandA]

You are so right again. They may hold the answer to the most dreadful disease that still needing cure ...LOL you got it !

[Eddie Davis]

Wonderful piece, I would say that a weed is just a plant that has such a fire for life that it will survive where it can.

[NeiL ArandA]

Hi Eddie ... thanks again for visiting my page. I already owe you so much. I'll come this evening...

[Lyn Anderson]

Wow wow wow. An amazing gift, this poem, to everyone.:)

[NeiL ArandA]

Thanks KLG ...sorry I miss this one

[Lydia Shutter]

Indeed, we do not, as humans, need to “grow in rows”. We need to stretch our arms and our thoughts out in all directions to be well rounded happy people. Labels don’t mean a lot to me....on clothes or on people! If we all had to fit into a cookie cutter mold in order to be accepted, well, the world would be quite the mundane affair. Why be average when you can excel? Neil, your poetry is always filled with spirituality and while I am not a very religious person, I enjoyed reading the biblical references in this one. Great life lesson in a wonderfully written poem. Lydi**

[NeiL ArandA]

Thanks Ms Lydia ... I missed this one. Will come to check if you have new one

[Belle]

The weed is the most commonly mistaken as unwanted plant, but digging into its characteristics, it is highly beneficial. Ecological balance, we all have roles to play to maintain equilibrium. Aren't we?

Neil, I lived once in a place where absurdities are wavering like proud flags. The worst is, my 6 year-old boy then, was the one who experienced the worst. It was our first time to go to the city via public transportation. While on a train, suddenly a black man approached my son and yelled to the little man's face like a barbarian attacking a beast. " What are you doing in my country, you mother f****r?! You go home where you used to live, idiot!" ( sorry for the words, I do not want to alter any of it). I've seen my son's lips turned into grayish from reddish. I knew he was so scared to death. I was about to beat the black man, push him away from my little man when an old woman stopped me and told me in an almost whispering voice to just get off the train when it stops on the nearest station for he might have a gun. What?! I thought, a gun while on a train, that is more ridiculous! But you know, when you think of the safety of your love one sometimes it is better not to fight, no matter how violent you can be when the person you deeply care is being hurt, there is a need to retain that sanity to be still in control. So, we did as what the old woman suggested. It was a choice not to exhibit cowardice, rather an action as not to be exactly the kind of person you hate.To work as professionals in a first-class country requires more than intelligence and skills. If I could have spoken, I could have said, that he should ask himself that very question. For Chrissake! Why such country needs to import working professionals? Why it can't get working forces from its citizens? And for the citizens to hate those people from outside who can offer what they cannot contribute?
The trauma it brought to my son was never an easy one to deal. When we get back here, he never wanted to speak the English language, and it was totally a disaster because he is in an exclusive school, an international school where English is the main language.

[NeiL ArandA]

Glad to see you back and hopefully well rested. You are right, you have presented a different perspective in lieu to the essence and plight of the weeds. One time out of disgust, I have ask myself why God created a " fly ". From my ignorant mind, they are all but nuisance and pest. Disturb you in your sleep, contaminates your food and carriers of disease. Until I realized the role they played to our eco system. And as you just said, they too have an important role to play to maintain balance much like the weeds.

That is a sad story I hate to say that your son's mind was too young and too innocent to comprehend and be exposed to such hatred and animosity. You happened to be in a wrong place and in a wrong time. A person with good sense won't say such vulgarity unless they are retarded. I'm glad that you have responded in a very courageous way. Its not easy to walk away from that situation. A lot of hatred and prejudice are products of ignorance. They have a wrong perception of how the capitalist system works . Its all about how to maximize profits and employing efficient workers. Corporate business are color blinds... except the color of the dollar ....this is what really dictates and reshapes immigration policies and reforms. I have encountered such ignorance myself. You can't help them nor will it ever get better for them until they graduate from such mentality. You're brave to have walked away from that situation. Your beloved son too, overtime will overcome such traumatic experience. We don't hate back because just like the weeds, we understand... we can't change and influence people's way of thinking but we can control how we responds ...Thanks Belle for reading my piece...Welcome back!

[Sugar Plum ♥]

I can hear the clear message about human prejudice and differences, in the image of "weeds", they have reason to exist, their way of growing is not the way of other flowers...Maybe we don`t know them well (or at all), we always tried to find the beauty from outside. but not all that glitters is gold. I feel the traveler in this weeds, as this verse:

For eons my kind wandered like gypsies
Vagabonds we lived and slept in tepees
We scavenged, thrived in hedges and mountains
Sometimes displaced in your favorite garden.

There is a reason why they are...Just we have to be careful. Great and profound poem.

::nour::
::040114::

[NeiL ArandA]

You've captured my whole point in those one stanza. I can't thank you enough that you have considered reading my piece...