Edge to Edgeland (Poetry)

Along the margins where green touches nerveless brick
opportunist fireweed leads the first assault
and nettles struggle up despite the soil is thick
with builder’s rubble. Each thin brave root has fought

and won its natural right to grow and flourish where
the imprisoned land still dreams of freedoms gone
while rows of stern-eyed warden houses stand and stare
and a million blades of rescue grass creep on ...

The silent reinforcement insect armies come
to stake a claim — ecology’s basic need
for some balance until the war for turf is done
and wild nature repossesses — acres freed

to each battalion of bold dandelions entrenched
on cowed urban lawns with long-term plans to stay
re-take the spot while those less stubborn weeds are wrenched
their bright yellow heads determined — come what may.

Around raw edges of the too-brash new estate
red brick blusters smug — denies its ugly crime
rebel leaves surround — green troops content to wait
for the sun’s command. They have a world of time ...