Herbicide

 

A very large bush, untidy and overgrown

needed to be cut back or dug out

The first task was to prune its branches

thus leaving it looking oddly bare and nude

I did not have a saw to cut it down completely

so the job was left unfinished and ugly

Then with Spring it began to come to life

buds appeared along with yellow leaves

in an endeavour to live

It looked as if it had been savaged

I had brutalised it leaving it half alive

Guilt ridden I could not bear to see it

I could not rest until the coup de grace was given

It remains there awaiting its fate

a shadow of what it should now be

I bear full responsibility

I am guilty of wanton slaughter

of herbicide