Frank Prem

cultured

well
you see
this
this here

 

he grasped the young shoot
firmly
in a gnarled left hand

 

this here
is nature

 

he used a quiet voice
calm
as though
speaking to cows
without wishing
to disturb them
just before the milking

 

his right hand
held a wickedly sharp
and relatively sterile
pruning knife

 

a deft movement
part wrist-twist
part slice
and he had removed
the bulk of the growth

 

another practiced movement
and he had established
receiving notches
in the root stock
that remained

 

while this

 

he displayed
a short stick
slender
but matching the thickness
of the root stock
notch
for notch

 

this

 

he said again
as he slathered the wounded wood
with his own patent
slather
of both
nutrition and protection

 

is culture

 

and it will grow
exactly
the fruit
that I want

 

he wrapped the treated wound
with a generous quantity
of grafting tape

 

my culture

 

he laughed
and went on
to perform
the next graft
on the next tree

 

~