Virus

[easywayout]

I really like the usage of metaphor and the simplicity of the poem. But could you explain the choice of milkwort and blue thorn flower? Also, does imagined refer to a sense of panic?
Otherwise, I love the parallels drawn and the wordplay. Beautifully done

Hi savannah 

Thanks for your comment.   Glad the bulk of this worked for you. Blue-spike milkwort is an Australian flower. This poem was inspired by an old article I read about it growing in profusion as a result of bushfires.

‘thorn-flowers’ refers to the same plant. I used ‘thorns’ (rather than spikes) because I liked the sonics, but I‘ll need to reconsider that, since it was a sticking point for a lot of people.

Yes, definitely. I meant ‘imagined’ in the sense of people creating worst-case scenarios in their head (iin other words, they are imagining a very post-apocalyptic scenario, panic-buying, hoarding, etc.). Sorry if that wasn’t clear.