I open the fridge

and grab a container of strawberries

and put them on a plate

and take a bite.

But instead of a refreshing burst of flavour

I am met with a hairy, fuzzy

sticky, smelly, gray lump

and I want to vomit.

Every effort I make,

Battle after battle with you,

yet you only return stronger.

I commend you for your resilience,

bravery, your ability to dig in and fight back.

What makes one want to consume indefinitely?

for it will eat away at your flooring, and

it will dissolve your leftovers. It grows in the cracks

in the walls, and on rotten roadkill. It is

always feeding.

The eternal consumer.

Yet, to be everywhere, like some god, to be

such a fundamental part

of decomposition

... of life,

it's a gift, a curse, a blessing.

so bless the mold that eats your week old

chinese takeout, or the dead trees after a forest fire.

its ability, its purpose is to bring forth new life

by recycling the dead.

This week I tried something different, I wrote an ode to something I hate. Mold.

It was a pretty tough experience, but I think I kinda got the feeling across while remaining positive and almost ode-like. of course, it certainly needs more work to get there.

Thank you for all the support in the last few weeks! Everyone has been super awesome, and I love talking with you guys about the latest poem!