Prickly Pear
It's thorny, but critical for the ecosystem
Prickly pear, xerophyte
has thorns and glochids.
It's scary and impenetrable,
but it blooms —
cheerful, iridescent,
yellow flowers
which feed the honeybees.
The fruits are crimson,
juicy, and sweet,
feeding the wildlife.
Even its cladode stem
nurtures cochineal insects,
which give, red dye for
human uses.
The tender cladodes are
consumed as vegetables
by certain communities.
I have tried, too.
It is an inspiration,
the way it knows
its self-defense.
You can't vilify, or belittle
the succulent prickly pear.
Probably, it is more useful
than we consumeristic humans,
serving the habitat it grows in.
About the Creator
Seema Patel
I am Seema. I contribute to PubMed, Blogger, Medium, LinkedIn, Substack, Amazon KDP, Vocal Media.
I write on nature, health, parenting, creativity, gardening, social issues.
My art shop: https://artsforhealinggifts.etsy.com
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