Lantana in the Clearing
Clusters blaze at the forest’s edge,
imported fire dressed as carnival bloom.
A gift once carried across oceans,
now thickened into barricades of thorn.
Birds scatter seed into gullies,
creeks choke under the weight of color.
What was planted for delight
has learned to occupy every margin.
The flower’s stink betrays its brocade,
a gaudy veil over strangled ground.
Farmers curse, children marvel,
and the scrub hardens into its grip.
No sermon follows—only the thicket,
pressing forward with unyielding hold.
It does not depart, it does not relent:
a presence that seizes the clearing entire.
.
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Author:
crypticbard (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: December 13th, 2025 05:06
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 11
- Users favorite of this poem: sorenbarrett, Friendship, Tristan Robert Lange, Kevin Hulme
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Comments6
Cryptic this immediately brought to mind the Brazilian peppertree brought to Florida as an invasive species. So vivid an image did I get that it overwhelmed any thought of a metaphor. So well described in this verses that if it is not it could be. A brilliant description my friend. The title takes away from this vision raising the name lantana which I know as a flower. But as far as metaphor goes so many invasive things planted from thoughts to actions that flower and bloom but later take over. A fave
That must be the challenge of this poem. Thanks for drawing my attention to it. 🙏🏻🕊️
Always most welcome my friend
Well written, I can definitely relate to this poem. The poem "Lantana in the Clearing" explores the theme of invasive species and the complex relationship between beauty and destruction in nature. It highlights how something once cherished can become a menace, transforming landscapes and altering ecosystems.
Thank you so much dear Friendship 🙏🏻🕊️
Good write A. I of course don't know the Brazilian peppertree. It could be in Cuckoo Land for all I know! heehee.
Makes me think of salt and pepper shakers 🧂 🫑 🫨
arqios, this is quietly devastating…the way beauty turns invasive without ever announcing itself. It feels inevitable, slow, and suffocating in the best possible way. Powerful work, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Asphyxiation by beauty it sometimes is 🙏🏻🕊️
Sounds like 'The day of the Triffids'. I take it your not a fan of Lantans. A fine description of an Approaching Menace.
Loved that movie. Rewatched it about a month ago! As a child, lantana was a playground (of course it commanded a modicum of respect and deference) but nowadays it’s a stinky pest. Guess I’m just too old for that type of play. 😜🙏🏻🕊️
Those invasive species are in all forms of life soren and the worst one is homo sapiens.
Andy
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