As a supplement to Alley Rat’s upcoming post on Kerner’s She Comes First, I offer a post about a tongue. A plant’s “tongue”, that is.
Yesterday, a specimen of Hydrosome rivieri, one of a a class of plants commonly referred to as the “Devil’s Tongue”, bloomed here at one of the greenhouses on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. I didn’t get a chance to experience the smell, which is described as that of rotting flesh, but I was able to take a few pictures. The strategy behind the odor is to attract pollinators. (You can find information on a related species, Amorphophallus titanum, here, and pictures of this much larger plant can be found here.)
The Hydrosome rivieri pictured here is in its second day of full bloom, and I hear it does this on an annual basis. I have more pictures to share for those who are interested. Just email me.
I also thought this would also be a good post to contribute to National Poetry Month. I’m not a poet, but I like to think that I know what I like. Here’s one of my favorites from E. E. Cummings. Consider this a supplement to a supplement.
if within tonight’s erect
everywhere of black muscles fools
a weightless slowness(deftly
muting the world’s texture with drifted
gifts of featheriest slenderness and
how gradually which sescending are suddenly
received)or by doomfull connivance
accurately thither and hither myself
struts unremembered(rememberingly
with in both pockets curled hands moves)
why then toward morning he is a ghost whom
assault these whispering fists of hail
(and a few windows awaken certain faces
busily horribly blunder through new light
hush we are made of the same thing as perhaps
nothing,he murmurs carefully lying down)
[Note: This is poem XVI from Part Four of Is 5.]
I guess I’ll modestly introduce myself here. I’m Ryan of Imposter Syndrome. I live in Bloomington, IN, which is just proof positive that I’m drawn to liberal oases. Check out my blog for even nerdier discussions.