Watch yourself guys
near these leaves of three
along and off the trails we
stroll – the anointed
pretty little leaves
how wet and ready
to wipe fire
across your skin
look how the bees search buds
and how they search
for better buds
‘Animals aren’t affected by urushiol’
I tell my boy
he asks me why
the plant exists
I try not to answer
with some conclusion that some of nature
needs defence only against people
‘Perhaps there’s something special about them
we don’t know yet.’