longing

the vines hang limp on Red Mountain’s sides
like the arms of inmates
draped over prison bars
neither hopeful nor hopeless

day by day freedom passes the inmates
as a nonstop progression of cars pass them by
causing them to swing up and out
longing to get away

brought here from Japan
although originally from China
the foreign menace (in summer heat)
can grow almost half a meter per day

can we blame the plant?
it didn’t ask to be brought here
so it has been forced to survive
by any means necessary

the blanketing of it’s leaves
suffocates everything
around it and it’s combined weight
causes tree limbs to surrender and break

but we’re just talking about kudzu
it’s pretty purple flower smells like
grapes but who even cares?
It’s a menace and must be stopped.