After rain I slide more easily,
Contracting then relaxing,
Gliding through the dampened soil,
Circumventing stones and roots -
It lubricates my passage.
I have no eyes to see
So it does not bother me
That I exist in darkness.
Just listen and you’ll hear me
Pulsing quietly below
The surfaces you know
Pulsing quietly below
The surfaces you know
Or dig and you will find me
Writhing in the loam
This earth that is my home.
Writhing in the loam
This earth that is my home.
Earthworms are interesting critters. I didn't know that there were so many different kinds of earth worms and that here we don't have native earthworms...only invasives. Okay , your poem. I get the feeling of that poor old earthworm doing his thing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading it Red. It seems that some people have an automatic aversion to poetry. I am amazed that Alberta did not have any native earthworms.
DeleteWorms are one of those things that most people never give a thought to but we would be in trouble without them. When we had our allotments nothing gave me greater pleasure than to find big fat juicy worms when I was digging.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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I wrote the poem to celebrate a special creature - one that is usually unseen and rarely remarked upon.
DeleteWhen I was little, I picked up any earthworm I'd find on the pavement and put it in the next garden, out of harm's way (I did that with snails, too, and sometimes still do).
ReplyDeleteIn German, earthworms are called rainworms (Regenwurm), as that is when they are most noticeable, when it rains.
Very heavy rain can threaten a worm's life. That's why they come up to the surface. You must have been a very nice little girl Meike.
DeleteI was first and foremost a rather nerdy little girl.
DeleteYes, I knew they come up to avoid drowning - often only ending up as some blackbird's snack.
Only a nerd would know that!
DeleteThey made nice bait for fishhooks.
ReplyDeleteIf you were put on a big hook you would make nice bait for a hungry lion Mr C !
DeleteI've yet to hear an earthworm. The ones around here travel very quietly...not a sound is made...quieter than mice!
ReplyDelete(I don't hear any mice, either)!
You might need a hearing test Lee.
DeleteNope...there is nothing wrong with my hearing, Yorkie, of that I assure you.
DeleteEh? Pardon? Could you please repeat that.
DeleteI have good feelings toward earthworms but night crawlers kind of freak me out. (Isn't that what's in your picture?) When they're that big they are starting to look like snakes, although as long as they stay underground and I don't have to look at them, it's fine. I suppose they might feel the same about me :)
ReplyDeleteThe picture is of a native British earthworm Jenny. I thought a "nightcrawler" was a seedy gentleman cruising for prostitutes.
DeleteWorms like bees are somewhat taken for granted but both are gardeners friends. Here at home we have an earthworm Worm Farm which is multi storey boxes which we feed with kitchen waste. Our council does not supply a green waste bin in our regional area as they found most farm holdings large and small have a green waste management system be it composting or worm farm..so worms save us an annual bill as well as free worm tea & casting fertiliser for the vege patch. Good poem :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your reflections Elle. What the hell is worm tea? Do you drink it with a slice of lemon?
DeleteHe He... I don't believe lemon would make it digestible at all. Worm tea is concentrated worm wee with added water - great liquid fertilizer, the grapes, passionfruit and fruit trees love it - good for all plants actually.
DeleteYou've given that worm a lot of credit for thinking about its lot in life! :)
ReplyDeleteI was surfing the Internet for information and came across your blog. I am impressed by the information you have on this blog. It shows how well you understand this subject.
ReplyDeletehow to get rid of worms in the lawn