when my dog vomits he’ll eat the barf but not so one primeval fish
by James Penha
An amateur fossil-hunter in Denmark found vomit, embedded in chalk, composed of undigestible sea-lilies likely thrown up by a fish some 66 million years ago.
Expat New Yorker James Penha (he/him ?) has lived for the past three decades in Indonesia. Nominated for Pushcart Prizes in fiction and poetry, his work is widely published in journals and anthologies. His newest chapbook of poems, American Daguerreotypes, is available for Kindle. Penha edits TheNewVerse.News, an online journal of current-events poetry. You can find out more about James’ poetry on his website https://jamespenha.com and catch up with him on BlueSky @jamespenha.bsky.social
when earth spun faster Luca settled in the sea and begat us all
by James Penha
Last July, researchers at Bristol University concluded that Luca (last universal common ancestor from which all life on Earth stems) lived 4.2 billion years ago—early enough in the planet’s existence to suggest that life might be an inevitability rather than an accident.
‘The nature of the last universal common ancestor and its impact on the early Earth system’, 2024, Moody, E.R.R., et al., Nature Ecology & Evolution, available: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02461-1
Author bio:
Expat New Yorker James Penha (he/him ?) has lived for the past three decades in Indonesia. Nominated for Pushcart Prizes in fiction and poetry, his work is widely published in journals and anthologies. His newest chapbook of poems, American Daguerreotypes, is available for Kindle. Penha edits TheNewVerse.News, an online journal of current-events poetry. You can find out more about James’ poetry on his website https://jamespenha.com and catch up with him on BlueSky @jamespenha.bsky.social
‘Recombinant venom proteins in insect seminal fluid reduce female lifespan’, 2025, Beach, S.J. & Maselko, M., Nature Communications, available: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54863-1
Author bio:
Debbie Lee (@lee_debbie): Writing from places light and dark, awkward data nerd, elegant word nerd, dreaming in colour, clumsily balancing love, hope, kindness with pragmatic realism.
This is a haiku about the stuff of nightmares – vampire bats. As we know, vampire bats feed on blood, and blood is low in carbohydrates and lipids that are the typical fuel for activities that require high energy. Flight is highly costly in energy, so how can it be fueled by blood alone? Certain blood-sucking insects can fuel their flight by direct metabolism of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) in their blood meals, but this metabolic specialization was known only in very few insect species.
A team of biologists traveled from the University of Toronto to Belize to find out if vampire bats can do the same. The researchers took advantage of the fact that vampire bats are exceptionally good runners, and they use this to approach their prey along the ground. Bats were fed cow blood with labeled amino acids and the researchers then placed them on treadmills, monitoring tracer release in the bat’s breath as they ran on the treadmill.
The experiments clearly showed that vampire bats use amino acids as their main fuel source while running. Since running is a major hunting mode for this species, they literally bleed prey to run, and run to bleed…
Further reading:
‘Vampire bats rapidly fuel running with essential or non-essential amino acids from a blood meal’, 2024, Rossi, G.S. & Welch, K.C., Biology Letters, available: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2024.0453
Mike Fainzilber’s day job is a biologist. He began writing haiku and senryu during the pandemic, and this side effect of COVID-19 has not worn off yet. Editors in his two spheres of activity have been known to suggest that he should best restrict his efforts to the other sphere. Find out more about Mike’s research via his lab’s website and connect with him on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/mfainzilber.bsky.social
Purple–yellow-green, bell-shaped corolla, five petals, flowers grow from rosette of leaves.
Habitat:
Stony waste ground, edge of woodland, coastal areas
The long taproot, shaped like a human form, was said to scream when pulled from the ground. Anyone hearing this would go mad. In Medieval times, it was believed the only way to harvest the plant was on a moonlit night and using a black dog with a cord attached to the plant to uproot it!
It was also believed that the mandrake first grew from the dripping ‘juices’ of a hanged man. This, by the medieval Doctrine of Signatures which taught that the shape and appearance of a plant linked it to parts of the human body, made the mandrake highly valued for specific ailments. However, the poisonous nature of the plant made its medicinal use difficult, as Harry Potter fans may know
The mandrake contains tropane alkaloids which give it narcotic, emetic, sedative and hallucinogenic properties. As early as the fourteenth century BC the plant is mentioned in cuneiform texts and subsequently in Arabic, Greek and Roman writing. It was said the root could be seen as a baby in form, albeit a rather ugly one. This gave rise to the belief that the plant helped childless women to conceive.
Mandrake roots were valuable and not surprisingly there were fraudsters at country fairs with oddly-shaped ‘mandrakes’ carved from turnip roots. It was even believed that these roots knew the sites of buried treasure. They would whisper the secret to their owner, if they trusted him. These beautiful lines from Shakespeare suggest Mandrake was still in use in the 16th century:
‘Give me to drink mandragora. That I might sleep out the great gap of time My Antony is away.’
William Shakespeare, Anthony and Cleopatra, Act 1, Scene 1.
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
Northern Hemisphere, mountain meadows, partial shade, east or west facing.
Monkshood, so called because its hooded flowers resemble a monk’s cowl, is a hairless perennial of the buttercup family. Several species are cultivated, often at the back of herbaceous borders. Every part of the plant is poisonous and eating even a leaf can be fatal. It is best to wear gloves when handling and keep out of the reach of children or pets. Apparently, it tastes so repulsive that accidental poisoning seems unlikely.
Several unpleasant symptoms result from rubbing the plant into the skin, including numbness. Ingesting it results in stomach pain, dizziness, and heart problems. It is still used in medicines today but in very small quantities.
From ancient times, people have been aware of the dangers of this plant. The ancient Greeks associated it with Hades and it was believed to have sprung up from the saliva of the three-headed dog, Cerberus. The goddess, Athena, is said to have sprinkled the sap on the maiden Arachne, turning her into a spider! In Hinduism the plant is sacred to Lord Shiva who saved the Earth by drinking poison, which he stored in his throat, turning it blue. In European tradition, aconite is linked to Hecate which is why it was found at crossroads and gateways which were associated with her cult. Anglo-Saxon hunters covered the tips of their arrows with aconite when hunting wolves, hence the name wolfsbane.
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
Ciliate tuba When the spirit is level Makes mu-music-math
By Sravya Darbhamulla
A haiku on the inner-ear mechanisms that lead to perceptions of music: the physiology of the ear and the acoustic-electric transform; and a reference to inner-ear fluid being balanced.
Further reading:
‘Neuroanatomy, Auditory Pathway’, 2023, Peterson DC, Reddy V, Launico MV, et al., Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532311/
Sravya Darbhamulla is an archivist, translator and aspiring interdisciplinary researcher with a background in linguistics. She can be found on X/Twitter @acuriousshawl.
I knew my dog sensed my anxiety he scents— and empathizes!
by James Penha
A new study shows that not only do dogs smell human stress, they are themselves depressed as a result.
Further reading:
‘The odour of an unfamiliar stressed or relaxed person affects dogs’ responses to a cognitive bias test’, 2024, Parr-Cortes, Z., Müller, C.T., Talas, L., Mendl, M., Guest, C., & Rooney, N.J., Scientific Reports. Available: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66147-1
Expat New Yorker James Penha (he/him ?) has lived for the past three decades in Indonesia. Nominated for Pushcart Prizes in fiction and poetry, his work is widely published in journals and anthologies. His newest chapbook of poems, American Daguerreotypes, is available for Kindle. Penha edits TheNewVerse.News, an online journal of current-events poetry. You can find out more about James’ poetry on his website https://jamespenha.com and catch up with him on Twitter @JamesPenha
firecrackers a sperm whale dialogue ignites in dark sea
by Douglas J. Lanzo
I was inspired to write this Sciku by reading an article in the July-August 2024 issue of Harvard Magazine entitled “Decoding the Deep” by Jonathan Shaw. I was struck by the tremendous energy in the short staccato bursts of sperm whale communication and by the intricacy in their communications, including what may be simultaneous speaking and listening in their species.
The article details the richness and wonder of the firecracker-evoking clicks of sperm whales and the billions of vocalizations the CETI project, with the help of machine learning, is ambitiously seeking to collect and decode.
I also recommend watching ocean documentaries, many of which are available on Amazon Prime, about whales.
Author bio
I am the author of ‘The Year of the Bear’ (Ames Best YA Book of 2023) and the 2024 Firebird Award winning ‘I Have Lived’ (a newly released novella) and have published poems in 76 literary publications worldwide. I reside in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with my wife and twin sons and enjoy basketball and tennis. My author’s website is at www.douglaslanzo.com.
diving in formation sperm whale pod upon one matriarch click
by Douglas J. Lanzo
I was inspired to write this Sciku by reading an article in Harvard Magazine entitled “Decoding the Deep” by Jonathan Shaw. It reinforced the beauty and intricacy of whale communications that had fascinated by watching ocean documentaries over the years.
The article details the complexity of the staccato clicking language of sperm whales and the billions of vocalizations the CETI project is seeking in order to decode their speech. However, I was struck that the first sperm whale word we have learned is the word to dive. Given that sperm whales travel in pods led by matriarchs and that a single click can be emitted at well over 200 decibels, I came up with this sciku to capture their magnificent synchrony of movement signaled by a single whale click.
It is amazing to think of the tremendous depths to which whales can descend (nearly 3,000 meters) at over 100 atmospheres in pressure and even more amazing to ponder the vocalizations of these wondrous creatures with the largest brains in the world.
I also recommend watching ocean documentaries, many of which are available on Amazon Prime, about whales.
Author bio
I am the author of ‘The Year of the Bear’ (Ames Best YA Book of 2023) and the 2024 Firebird Award winning ‘I Have Lived’ (a newly released novella) and have published poems in 76 literary publications worldwide. I reside in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with my wife and twin sons and enjoy basketball and tennis. My author’s website is at www.douglaslanzo.com.
fifteen elephants carefully balanced on columns of fat
by Mike Fainzilber
Believe it or not, this is a haiku about jellyfish – specifically deep-sea jellyfish that live at depths where the water pressure is equivalent to that that would be applied by 15 African elephants piled up on the palm of the reader’s hand. When such jellyfish are brought to the water surface they literally vanish, melting into their surroundings.
Recent research has now shown that this is because the lipids (fat molecules) that make up the membranes of deep-sea jellyfish are specially adapted to form cylindrical structures (required for functional membranes) under extreme pressure. When pressures are reduced, these lipids change shape, causing membranes to curve and disrupt.
These findings are important for our understanding of how life is possible in the deep oceans and perhaps other high-pressure environments. Indeed, the researchers were able to take advantage of the new insights to engineer bacteria for survival under extreme pressures.
Further reading:
‘Homeocurvature adaptation of phospholipids to pressure in deep-sea invertebrates’, 2024, Winnikoff, J.R., et al., Science. Available: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adm7607
Mike Fainzilber’s day job is a biologist. He began writing haiku and senryu during the pandemic, and this side effect of COVID-19 has not worn off yet. Editors in his two spheres of activity have been known to suggest that he should best restrict his efforts to the other sphere. Find out more about Mike’s research via his lab’s website and connect with him on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/mfainzilber.bsky.social .
I studied microbiology in college many years ago and one of the tests we had to conduct was on the toxicity of compounds in food. In the sciku above, I’m drawing a comparison with the toxicity we seek to isolate in biology and that we wish to isolate and avoid in our everyday lives.
Patricia Hawkhead’s haikai and poetry have been published in publications including: Asahi Haikuist Network, Blōō Outlier, Bones , Cattails, Cold Moon Journal, dadakuku, Echidna Tracks, Failed Haiku, Five Fleas (itchy poetry), haikuNetra, Poetry Pea, Presence, Prune Juice, Scarlett Dragonfly, Shadow Pond Journal, tsuri-dōrō and Haiku Universe. You can follow her on X/Twitter at @patricahawkhead
acts buy our brains time but dementia risk runs deep . . . let’s change society
by Timothy Daly
Following years of failed drug trials to find a cure for dementia, many researchers have turned to the strategy of promoting healthy lifestyles to improve brain health. A recent article of mine argues that from the point of view of fair and far-reaching prevention, lifestyle approaches are only the tip of an iceberg of dementia risk, below which we find social inequalities and unhealthy environments. We should encourage lifestyle changes alongside changes in society itself to improve access to health and reduce inequalities.
Further reading:
‘The iceberg of dementia risk: empirical and conceptual arguments in favor of structural interventions for brain health’, 2024, Daly, T., Cerebral Circulation – Cognition and Behavior, 6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cccb.2023.100193
‘Individuals with dementia and populations with dementia’, 2024, Elizabeth Shaaban, C., Cerebral Circulation – Cognition and Behavior, 6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cccb.2024.100221
‘A whole-population approach is required for dementia risk reduction’, 2022, Walsh, S., et al., The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 3(1), E6-E8, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2666-7568(21)00301-9
Author bio:
Dr. Timothy Daly researches dementia and writes poetry. You can follow him on X/Twitter @PhilAlz
On innocent wings… a black messenger of death sings a silent song
by Michael Mills
The bat is the only mammal capable of true flight, and one of the few that are capable of echolocation. Bats are nocturnal, were once thought to be bad omens or representations of evil, and are frequently misunderstood as all blood-sucking or disease vectors.
Michael Mills is a second semester Graduate Student at Stonybrook University, working on a master’s degree in Science Communication Journalism. Michael’s passion is firmly rooted in communicating to BIPOC and other marginalized groups about the importance of their voices being heard and understood in the world of sci-comm. Michael’s love for art comes from his lifelong fascination with graphic illustration and digital art, and the fantasy worlds and figures that can be created therein. He cites illustrators Hajime Sorayama, Jim Lee, and Bengus as inspirations, and pulls ideas from high fashion couture, religious idolatry, Americana and queer identity when creating.
Ancient crimson flame burning on lofty Olympus a new era is calling
by Sarah Das Gupta
Botanical name:
Amaranthus
Popular names:
Prostrate pigweed, Love lies bleeding
Family:
Amaranthaceae
Origin:
Central and South America. Currently found on all continents except Antarctica
Flower:
Catkin-like cymes, closely packed
Habitat:
Dry conditions, drought resistant
There are over 70 species of this ancient plant and they are very diverse. In 1996 Mosyakin and Robertson divided the family into 3 subgenres. There is some argument as to where and when the first plants were cultivated. It may be that both in South America and separately in south-east Asia cultivation occurred over 8,000 years ago.
In Ancient Greece the plant had spiritual significance. Its name means ‘unfading flower’, perhaps because it has a long flowering period. It was associated with immortality and believed to grow on Mount Olympus, the home of the gods. Aesop’s Fables also refer to the flower.
The Aztecs in the 15th and 16th centuries, grew three crops, beans, maize and amaranth. In a sacrifice to the god of war, the amaranth grain and honey were used to mould the image of the god which was later broken into pieces and eaten by the people. After the Spanish conquest, the cultivation of amaranth was discouraged as it was associated with old customs and religious practices.
Fifteen of the species have edible parts: the grain from the seed-head, the root and the leaves are high in nutrients and oxalates but some of the former are lost in cooking. However, with rises in temperature and growing interest in vegetarian diets, there may well be a future for this ancient plant. The seed-head produces a high yield while the plant is very drought resistant. In parts of Asia, amaranth is largely grown for its dye and for ornamental reasons.
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
In Autumn fields pale ghosts of myth search lost memories
by Sarah Das Gupta
Botanical name:
Asphodelus
Popular names:
Onion Weed, King’s Spear
Family:
Asphodelaceae
Origin:
Mediterranean, North Africa, Middle East, Indian-sub continent
Flower:
Tall spike – white, yellow, pink
Habitat:
Well-drained soil, abundance of light
Until 1753, Asphodel was classified as part of the lily family. Carl Linneas then reclassified the plant. It is a herbaceous plant with a tall white or yellow spike.
The Ancient Greeks associated asphodel with death and the underworld. The poet, Homer, describes the Fields of Asphodel as ‘covering the great meadow and the haunt of the dead.’ To the Greeks the underworld included: Elysium, Tartarus and The Fields of Asphodel. The last was the abode of the average person who had done nothing good nor wicked. Asphodel may have become associated with death as having ‘strange, pallid, ghostly flowers.’ It was commonly found on graves and is particularly associated with Persephone who was abducted by Hades, ruler of the underworld. She is sometimes portrayed as wearing a crown of asphodel.
Many diverse writers from Homer and Milton to Faulkner and Poe have used the symbolism associated with the plant. Although it is suggested they may well have been referring to the Narcissus rather than the asphodel. Like many plants, asphodel is reputed to have healing qualities – dealing with snakebites or used against sorcery. It even plays a part in Harry Potter.
Its leaves are used to wrap Burrata cheese. Both the leaves and the cheese are at their best for four days. So don’t buy the cheese if the leaves are withered!
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
a cure for cancer… cutting the gordian knot in a gene sequence
by John Hawkhead
Gene editing provides us with the ability to make highly specific changes in the DNA of a living organism. It has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment via manipulation of the genome to target specific genetic mutations that drive the growth and spread of tumours.
The cutting of the Gordian knot is a legend associated with Alexander the Great about a complex knot that tied an oxcart. It was claimed that whoever was able to untie it would be destined to rule all of Asia. When Alexander was challenged to untie the knot he cut through it with his sword rather than attempt to untie it. This is now used as a metaphor for solving a seemingly intractable problem through bold means or thinking differently.
‘The Potential Revolution of Cancer Treatment with CRISPR Technology’, 2023, Stefanoudakis, D., et al., Cancers (Basel), https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15061813
Author bio:
John Hawkhead (@HawkheadJohn) has been writing haiku and illustrating for over 25 years. His work has been published all over the world and he has won a number of haiku competitions. John’s books of haiku and senryu, ‘Small Shadows’ and ‘Bone Moon’, are now available from Alba Publishing (http://www.albapublishing.com/).Read more of John’s sciku here!
a mind adrift finding meaning in peptides deciphering life
By Gillian Gaynor
Peptides are composed of chains of amino acids—organic molecules, encoded by a triplet combination of nucleotides in a strand of DNA or RNA (codon), that contain a carboxyl group, amino group and characteristic side chain.
A protein’s primary structure is determined by the specific sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain while the secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures are held together by intra- and intermolecular interactions and refer to the spatial arrangement and 3D conformation of the chain(s). The hierarchical nature of polypeptide formation and folding is crucial to its function as it allows proteins to perform specific roles in an organism.
Proteins are essential to nearly every biochemical process, serving as enzymes to catalyze reactions, hormones and neurotransmitters to regulate physiological responses, and structural units that contribute to the integrity of cells, tissues and bones, among many other examples.
Gillian Gaynor, a novice poet from Pittsburgh, received her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Notre Dame. Currently applying to medical school, Gillian bridges her scientific roots and budding poetic interests by crafting “polypeptide poems”—abstract haikus that challenge the reader to decode the hidden meaning in chains of amino acids.
humpbacks copulate in photos for the first time— out of the closet
by James Penha
The world’s first photographs of humpback whales copulating are even more groundbreaking because both individuals were male.
Further reading:
‘An observation of sexual behavior between two male humpback whales’, 2024, Stack, S.H., Krannichfeld, L. & Romano, B., Marine Mammal Science. Available: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13119
Expat New Yorker James Penha (he/him ?) has lived for the past three decades in Indonesia. Nominated for Pushcart Prizes in fiction and poetry, his work is widely published in journals and anthologies. His newest chapbook of poems, American Daguerreotypes, is available for Kindle. Penha edits TheNewVerse.News, an online journal of current-events poetry. You can find out more about James’ poetry on his website https://jamespenha.com and catch up with him on Twitter @JamesPenha
not quite rock bottom the moss, living her best life down in the gutter
by Jonathan Aylett
Aside from the social commentary offered by this haiku about finding happiness regardless of wealth or social standing, this is a poem about the ecological niche – ‘the match of a species to a specific environmental condition’.
Jonathan has been writing and publishing poetry for several years. His work has featured in journals dedicated to haiku, and broader literary journals, and won competitions across both disciplines. His collection ‘Goldfish’ – a mix of haiku and long form poetry, will be published by Stairwell books in spring 2024. You can follow Jonathan on Instagram here: @jonathanaylettpoetry
Tiny and deadly the cause of many diseases and found in breezes.
by Dr. Dipika Mishra
Bacteria are small organisms that can be visualised through a microscope. Most of these tiny microbes are the causative agent of various diseases. Moreover, these organisms are found everywhere, from the surface of our hands to the air encompassing us.
Dipika Mishra has a Ph.D. in Life Sciences and is a SciComm enthusiast. Her articles and poems can be found in “The Wire Science“, PLOS blogs, and Consilience journal. You can find her on X/Twitter here: @dipikamishra16
A winter slumber Longing for thirst to be quenched The reptile brain wakes
by Tom Lagasse
My wife and I were walking near a pond and didn’t know if snakes hibernated or not. After a quick check, we learned that mammals hibernate and reptiles brumate.
humble hawthorn bloom ancient Christmas message crown of thorns awaits
by Sarah Das Gupta
The Glastonbury Thorn is associated with the Grail Legend and the story of Joseph of Arimathea’s visit to Glastonbury. The legend tells of Joseph climbing Wearyall Hill and planting his staff in the ground where it rooted and grew into a thorn tree which blossomed twice, once at Christmas and once in spring. Written versions of the story did not emerge until the 13th century. In 1520, a pamphlet by Richard Pynson was published, ‘The Life of Joseph of Arimathea’. In 1647, during the English Civil War, the tree was chopped down and burnt as a symbol of superstition. A tree was planted on the hill in 1951 and again in 2010 but both were vandalised. The same fate has met subsequent efforts.
Trees now exist in the nearby Churchyard of St John’s which were budded or grafted from previous specimens. If grown from the haw(fruit), they do not produce a ‘true’ sapling. A sprig in bud is traditionally presented to the reigning monarch at Christmas. The winter flowers are smaller than the summer blossom.
The hawthorn has long been associated with supernatural and magical powers. Particularly in Ireland, lone thorns are seen in the middle of fields, in hedgerows, near places of religious significance and farmers will not cut them down. They have been associated with fairies and the border between this world and the mysterious ‘other’.
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
sweet Christmas kisses beneath the white mistletoe secret memories
By Sarah Das Gupta
Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant which lives off the nutrients and water from the host plant. Birds often spread the seeds from tree to tree, especially blackcaps and the mistle thrush which explains why clumps of mistletoe are found near the tops of trees.
In UK mistletoe is found most commonly in the south-west Midlands, particularly in Herefordshire. It is almost unseen in Scotland, Ireland and the rest of Wales. When picked, it will last for 2 weeks in a cool place. It would appear the plant has no connection with toes. This seems to be a corruption of the old English ‘tan’, meaning ‘twig’.
There has been some decline in mistletoe as a result of the diminishing number of old orchards, the apple being the favourite host, together with poplar, lime and conifers.
Mistletoe played an important role in Nordic legend. Balder was killed by his blind brother, Hodr, who used the plant as a missile. The Druids also valued the plant for medicinal purposes. The association of the plant with Christmas is probably because the berries appear in December and the leaves remain green. There is some evidence that the Greek holiday, Kronia, was associated with mistletoe and kissing. Many different varieties of mistletoe exist with different coloured berries in other continents
Botanical name:
Viscum album
Popular names:
Mistletoe
Family:
Santalaceae
Origin:
Northern Europe
Flowering:
February-April
Habitat:
Branches of apple, conifer, hawthorn, lime, poplar etc.
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
Trefoil, bright yellow a field of eggs and bacon or granny’s toenails
by Sarah Das Gupta
Bird’s foot trefoil is native to most of Europe. It was taken to North America to enrich the grass for cattle and to prevent erosion at the sides of roads. It has a number of popular names derived from its yellow flowers, tinged with red or the claw shape of the seed pods. It provides feed for caterpillars, bees and butterflies.
‘Trefoil’ is derived from Old French and refers to the pattern of three leaves. For this reason, it was included in Midsummer wreathes, fixed to front doors, as a symbol of the Trinity. Strangely enough, in the Victorian language of flowers, the plant symbolised jealousy and revenge!
Medicinally it was used to treat mild depression and insomnia. Its anti-inflammatory properties were used to alleviate skin conditions. The seed is sold commercially to enrich grazing and forage for cattle. Recently gardeners have planted it to add to the revival of wild flower meadows.
Botanical name:
Lotus corniculatus
Popular names:
Bird’s-foot trefoil, eggs and bacon, granny’s toenails, baby’s slippers
Family:
Fabaceae
Origin:
Native to Europe, parts of Asia (taken to N.America)
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
Green dog’s mercury your tiny secret flowers toxic to canines
By Sarah Das Gupta
Originally a coloniser of ancient woodland, dog’s mercury is a useful ancient woodland indicator, determining areas of ancient woodland, even if there is no tree cover. Some ground-nesting birds like woodcock seem drawn to the plant. Speckled bush cricket nymphs feed on it, as do species of beetle, weevil and mollusc. It is a contributor to biodiversity in ancient woodland.
All parts of this plant are poisonous and can induce jaundice, diarrhoea, vomiting, even death. The epithet ‘dog’ in this context means ’lesser’ or ‘inferior’ to other plants of the family, as applied to other species such as ‘dog’ violet or ‘dog’ rose. The reference to ‘mercury’ probably refers to the god Mercury and the medicinal properties of the species.
From ancient times it has been used externally and its juice is emetic, ophthalmic and purgative. It was used particularly to treat warts and sores. If the leaves are thoroughly heated and dried, it is no longer toxic.
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
sentient sea play upside-down tentacles swirl through schools of minnows
by Douglas J. Lanzo
Watching a common octopus in the movie ‘My Octopus Teacher’ harmlessly herd tide-surged minnows into a school and repeatedly maneuver its tentacles through it, harmlessly playing with it, I was astounded by its high level of intelligence. Despite interacting with the helpless minnows for an extended period of time, the recreational creature did not eat or catch a single minnow.
Further reading:
For additional information, besides watching the movie ‘My Octopus Teacher’, please take a look at a fascinating article on adaptive behavior in the March-April Issue of Harvard Magazine entitled ‘Inner Senses’ and a recent Harvard Law School article entitled ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ that chronicles the exploratory behavior and ability of octopi to individually recognize humans.
Author bio: Doug is an international author whose Newbery-nominated novel, The Year of the Bear, won the 2023 Ames Award for Young Adult literature, was a finalist for the 2023 Hawthorne Prize and is a 2022 Firebird Award Winner. He has published 337 poems in 70 literary publications in 10 countries. He and his twin son poets enjoy nature, fishing, tennis, hiking and snorkeling. His Author’s website is at www.douglaslanzo.com .
The composer Ludwig van Beethoven left behind locks of his hair and written wishes that his body be examined for science. I find it fascinating that DNA could still be obtained from that hair after so much time has passed. Researchers are trying to determine the causes of his deafness, other ailments, and cause of death. Only a portion of those questions have been answered, leading to the last line of my haiku.
Christmas ornaments pursued seabed octopus adorns legs with shells
by Douglas J. Lanzo
I was inspired to write this Sciku by watching the movie ‘My Octopus Teacher’ and observing a highly intelligent Common Octopus evade a Pyjama shark predator in a kelp forest in False Bay, South Africa by covering its arms with seafloor seashells.
Its amazingly high level of intelligence was reflected in its recognition of the free diver who dove to its lairs in the kelp forest on a daily basis to interact with it, its playing with fish with its tentacles in the tide, its cloaking itself with strands of kelp to temporarily escape from a Pyjama shark, its dashing onto a sand beach to escape the jaws of the menacing shark and its riding atop the startled shark and slipping off its back to complete its getaway.
Author bio: Doug is an international author whose Newbery-nominated novel, The Year of the Bear, won the 2023 Ames Award for Young Adult literature, was a finalist for the 2023 Hawthorne Prize and is a 2022 Firebird Award Winner. He has published 337 poems in 70 literary publications in 10 countries. He and his twin son poets enjoy nature, fishing, tennis, hiking and snorkeling. His Author’s website is at www.douglaslanzo.com .
The equine ergot is mysterious and odd someone blundered
by Sarah Das Gupta
Having had many horses in a long life, I can’t see the importance of the ‘ergot’ in 2023. For those unaware, the ergot is a small callosity on the underside of the fetlock of a horse. In horses, ergots can range from pea-sized to 3.8 cm in diameter and can be found on all four legs or absent on some or all of them.
The ergot has long been felt to be a vestige of the multi-toed foot of ancestral horses, and some horse owners trim them down to near skin level. However, the ergot’s redundancy may only be skin deep, as recent research suggests that the internal structure of the ergot beneath the visible external callus continues to have a function in modern horses.
Lusi and Davies (2017) studied the subcutaneous ergot tissue and found that “its overall connectivity, and the presence of nerve fibers and Ruffini endings strongly suggest that the ergot and its derived ligaments contribute to joint support, movement, and tension distribution in the distal limb.”
Further reading:
‘The Observer’s Book of Horses and Ponies’, R S Summerhays, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd.
‘The Connectivity and Histological Structure of the Equine Ergot—A Preliminary Study’, Carla M. Lusi and Helen M.S. Davies, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2017.01.003
Author bio:
Sarah Das Gupta is a young 81 year old. Loves writing haiku and most forms of poetry. Is learning to walk after an accident. Main outside interests include equine sports. Lives near Cambridge, UK. Read other sciku by Sarah here.
