Blight or Blessing?

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Joanne Edith

📷Pentax K30, ISO100, 30.6mm, f/5.0, 1/30 sec.📷

I watch in sadness
Helpless, impotent.
Unable to shield
My shade givers
From incessant infestation.

None spared;
Branch by branch,
Tree by tree,
They all fall victim
To infection.

None spared, save one:
Radiant, red apple tree
Standing strong in southeast corner;
Her green fruit awaiting
Imminent ripening.

Tall trees bend
Burnt-brown fingertips fall
Root cause escapes me
Until…I recall
Seventeen-year Cicadas!

Thousands, en masse,
Emerge, transform, bear eggs, die!
Progeny scratched in branch slits.
Nature’s pruning shears:
Dead, dried bough tips.

They fall to earth,
Egg sacs deposited – buried,
Future hatchlings harbored
My trees, healthy still,
Flourish.

Written in response to the following writing challenges:

photo-5

100Word Challenge (http://www.velvetverbosity.com/100-words/), BOUGH

Studio 30+ (http://studio30plus.com/page/prompts), OPTION 1- INFECTION, OPTION 2- RED APpPLE

Category: Photography, Postaday, Studio 30+, Studio 30+, Velvet Verbosity 100-word Challenge, Well-struck NotesTags: 100 Word Challenge, Apple Tree, Bough, Cicada, Infection, Infestation, Photograph, Postaday, pruning, Red Apple, Studio 30+

10 Comments on “Blight or Blessing?”

Velvet Verbosity (@velvetverbosity)
August 26, 2013

I’ve been far too behind on making my visiting rounds. Lovely to stumble upon newcomers during my catching up! Thanks for playing, this was lovely (and a little educational too!).

LikeLike

Reply
- BCIJo (aka Joanne Edith)
  August 27, 2013
  
  Thank you. I appreciate that you stopped by and I hope to take on the 100 word challenge more regularly, especially now that September is nearly upon us. I’ve always loved the back-to-school mindset and the feeling that a new phase is beginning! Thank for hosting such a wonderful challenge!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Joe
August 25, 2013

“Burnt-brown fingertips fall…”
Nice imagery throughout, but that line hits hard. I’m not a huge fan of fall/winter, so it evokes a deep sadness – and futility.
Anyway, stopping by for the first time from S30P, and I must say this is a lovely piece!

LikeLike

Reply
- BCIJo (aka Joanne Edith)
  August 26, 2013
  
  Thank you, Joe. I’m relatively new to S30+, but I hope to be a more frequent and regular contributor!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Stacey (@Staceysmoments)
August 22, 2013

Wow! I thought this was just beautiful and lovely description!

LikeLike

Reply
- BCIJo (aka Joanne Edith)
  August 22, 2013
  
  Thank you Stacey. I appreciate you taking time to stop by and comment.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
iamkarinwithani
August 22, 2013

Beautiful description! I watched this happen to two of my own trees too!

LikeLike

Reply
- BCIJo (aka Joanne Edith)
  August 22, 2013
  
  It’s troubling until you realize that it’s not the Texan long horned beetle, but rather the relatively harmless cicadas. After the trees developed these browny ops…and for us it was many trees…the dead brach tips fell and our yard was dotted with these dead branches. I suppose we shall see the fruits of this repopulation in 17 years!😉
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Marie Nicole
August 21, 2013

Hopefully the new apple trees will be protected. Love how their is death and destruction yet you follow up with hope of recreation. Nice!

LikeLike

Reply
- BCIJo (aka Joanne Edith)
  August 21, 2013
  
  Thanks, Marie.
  It was so strange to see the tips of all the branches withering away … Then our tree guy said it was the cicadas and actually didn’t harm the trees at all…justntheopposite. I served as a good ‘trimming’. This was a fun prompt.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply