Canto of Rhizomic Infestations

Padre e suocero son del mal di Francia…

—Canto 7, line 109

Dense summer rains

brought thorns and burrs:

Tribulus terrestris—

caltrop

or bull’s head

or cat’s head;

Emex australis—

double gees

or three-cornered jacks

or spiny emex

or prickly jack

or cathead

or southern

threecorner jack

or devil’s thorn;

summer rains

activated

spike always up,

dormant for years,

central tap root

radiating out,

‘grey-green’,

‘English spinach green’,

two infestations

sharing a common patch,

‘fern-like leaves’,

weapon to burst the tyres

of logging trucks,

but here the ground is bare,

and travel along firebreaks

sees caltrop and double gee

share aspirations: I follow Tracy,

well-shod, and am brought

down by punctured feet:

I hear her voice: wear boots,

grub the burrs away.