Twisted and gnarled beneath the

Damp, heavy earth, they stretch

Like claws, spread like a plague,

Seizing and squeezing the life

Out of anything in its path.

“This is mine now,” it says, “and I’ll take

Every inch of it. As I sprout into

A sapling, I’ll drink up every inch of

Light and water, and I’ll soar towards

The clouds like a rocket and leave

You festering in my growing shadow.”

(5 min write)