Image: 1 Red Poppies (here)
Beautiful whorls in flaming red
Hidden existence one rarely sees
Surreptitiously cultivated, its fate
found credence with the junkies
Image: 2 Pressed cannabis (here)
Enhanced by the unscrupulous
Its deathly effects with new variants
Hash has come a long way known
before as herbal cannabis or marijuana
Then with innocent sounding grass
Later weed pot fix ice and what have you
Shedding tears of the innocents to the wild
escapades and deathly experiences of them
ending in stupors of the vanquished
Its potency increasing in tandem with
its THC content as the years ahead loomed
'Fragile things' are not to be meddled with
lest the fragile minds are frighteningly doomed
Note: The intoxicating chemical in marijuana is
tetrahydracannabinol, or THC.It has soared from
less than 1 percent in 1972, to 3 to 4 percent in
the 1990s, to nearly 13 percent in 2010. Today,
some retail fix has 30 percent THC - wiki
Magaly at Real Toad's Fragile, Natural, Wild
and to include the phrase - fragile things
Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry #361
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Great poem.
ReplyDeleteThough once a heavy user, my stance now is uncertain. I have seen both sides of this drug. It can be very good and very bad.
Thirty percent? Whoa...
ReplyDeleteI love both pieces, but this is the line that grabs me:
ReplyDelete"'Fragile things' are not to be meddled with"
Amen.
"'Fragile things' are not to be meddled with"
ReplyDeleteVulnerability can turn into ferocity when something gentle is poked the wrong way, mixed with bad things. Your poem illustrates this so well.
What a wonderful poem, most enjoyable to read.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Having never been pulled into opiates or hashish I feel blessed- but I guess I've missed some highs,
ReplyDeleteThat THC groove does tend to become a rut.
ReplyDeleteAddiction is difficult dragon to slay
ReplyDeleteBrilliant write, Hank!
ReplyDelete"'Fragile things' are not to be meddled with
ReplyDeletelest the fragile minds are frighteningly doomed"...This says it all.
Sadly we never see ourselves as the fragile things. This is especially the case as prescription drugs as well are pushed and over prescribed to the extent of seriously harming the health of millions.
ReplyDeleteHow sad that the fate of the poppy lies in the hands of junkies. Why can't a flower not just be a flower?
ReplyDeleteWow, that sure has climbed high just to get a high.
ReplyDeleteSo much to learn from this one, Hank!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words and interesting fact, it sure has climbed a lot. Greetings to you!
ReplyDeleteYou have a way with words. Nicely put. Love the images. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete'Fragile things' are not to be meddled with.. so aptly said Hank! Thanks for the info too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great pair of poems to return to. My goodness both pieces are wonderful and your final line sums it all up perfectly....
ReplyDelete''Fragile things' are not to be meddled with
lest the fragile minds are frighteningly doomed'
The poppy means only to me a beautiful flower in my mother's garden, and a symbol of the tragedy of war. Natural highs have been quite sufficient for me, and I have sadness for those who seek the deadly and unnatural highs of drugs.
ReplyDeleteBoth interesting, Hank. Difficult situations although I think the criminalization of drugs has led to huge amounts of suffering. All Difficult. K.
ReplyDeleteI like how you address this controversial topic. Addiction is such a devastating illness. For me, I see a poppie as a beautiful flower.
ReplyDeleteAddiction so devastating to so many!
ReplyDeleteYour two closing lines are especially powerful. I didnt know the concentration has increased to that extent over the years. Yikes. And people are driving around impaired.......
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliantly written - impactful and edifying.
ReplyDelete'Fragile things' are not to be meddled with... yeppers!
ReplyDeleteAddiction, there is always someone to feed it and to tweak it beyond natural.
ReplyDeleteA deadly deception and high price paid...interesting take, Hank.
ReplyDelete