There’s an alien in my garden
I stand back
Terrified, amazed, puzzled
What where when how?
Those menacing tendrils
The bright red
The brown ooze
The horrific smell
Can’t be of this world
Can it?
I fear getting close dare it grab me.
Those spinderly fingers
The pointy ends
Can only mean trouble
So I stand well back
Only venturing closer when I see
It moves not
Just sits there
Invitingly
Awaiting some hapless victim.
Not me, I ain’t silly
Visions of monster plants devouring
Those who came to near
I’ve seen the movies
Read the books.
Camera at the ready
I capture it
Seek answers
Puzzled looks from most
Then a suggesting
Fungus?
Google finds it
A starfish fungus.
An hour later it has shrivelled
A shadow of its former self.
My garden never ceases to surprise me
Nature is a continuum of wonder.
Written for: http://dversepoets.com/2014/08/21/patterns-of-life-dverse-meeting-the-bar/
Morpethroad 
This was quite something, wasn’t it? I guess nature never ceases to amaze. Do you have any idea what it was?
Its a starfish fungus Gabriella…….they are throughout my garden I have discovered, but to see one is rare as they have a very limited exposure and conditions have to be right for them. Thanks for the comment. Have a good evening.
Oh my gosh. I think you just gave me an excuse to defer gardening tomorrow. That is so creepy looking and it does look like its waiting to devour something.
Imposing isn’t it, thankfully I’ve never seen one that big since, a few small ones about an inch across but that one was about six inches across. Thanks for stopping by Victoria, good prompt to work on thank you for it.
yikes! are you infected 🙂
Might explain the inexplicable twitches I get on the full moon Bill. Thanks for dropping by (twitch, twitch)
Yes, nature is indeed a continuum of wonder. Really, that fungus would be one rather frightening thing to find in one’s garden…but then again its body has an interesting pattern. Smiles.
Thanks Mary it certainly fascinated me especially when the local nursery people didn’t know what it was either. Thanks for dropping by.
Now that’s one funky fungus Michael. It’s sort of like a train wreck, hard to look away LOL Just glad it’s yours and not mine. 😉
Thanks Jackie, I haven’t seen it again but I know its there.
Very true, and very well-written. Here where I live we have several varieties of stinkhorn, an aptly named mushroom for sure. Great piece!
Thanks Jeff, yes I have heard of stinkhorns and yes aptly named….thanks for dropping by.
ha. nature is…i have never seen one of those…i was thinking like hte nose of a mole or…lol…it is fascinating the art and creativity of nature…that is for sure…
Thanks brian, never do I cease to be surprised by what i come across. Have a good evening.
WOW, how cool is that to see? Nature is amazing. I remember the first time I saw a Hummingbird hawk-moth. Wonderful. Thanks for the picture and poem – loved it.
Thank you so much for reading and your comment I appreciate it.
How creepy is that! You have described ‘it’ well and I pictured the man eating plants, remind me if I come up that they are around, so I’ll politely step out of their way 🙂
Despite their appearance they are almost friendly Jenny almost cuddling quality…..once you get past the smell…..thanks for reading and your comment.
eewwwwww no thank you!! 🙂
Whoa, very cool. k.
Thanks I thought so too once I knew what it was. Thanks for reading…
Well it has a distinct pattern – easy to find in a garden. Like how you took us through your journey of discovery. Well done.
Thank Gay, seemed a way to go with this challenge.
made me smile, loved this 🙂
Thank you for reading and your comment yelena. Please drop by again.
An unusual looking fungus for sure. Good thing for Google instead of the space program.
Thanks Kim, I’m glad it was an easy discovery in the end.
What a creepy fungi – yes it looks like a monster of some kind. I guess you cannot use it for mushroom omelette…
I don’t think it would be a good idea Bjorn, not very edible at all I would think. Have a good weekend.
Très bien, mon ami…my fav line `I ain`t silly` 😀
Personne ne prétendra jamais vous étiez. Merci de visiter mon humble blog.
🙂 my pleasure, I wish I had more time to vsit more. Hope you are enjoying your day.
Good day Oliana, like every day is. Enjoy yours.
Gosh, I love your positivity.
the alternative isn’t worth considering.
It looks terrifying – are you sure they haven’t been filming Doctor Who in your back garden?
Ha, no sadly. It does look like something who’d find in a Dr Who episode. Good response Marina.
it’s always a joy to be surprised..and Nature sees to it that we’re never short of that…a delightful read…
Thank you so much Sumana, happy to see you drop by.
Most of the posts today are of nature’s patterns, the best kind, although art copies nature…look for it everywhere
So true Kathy, its all around us. Thanks for reading and your comment.
Wow, that would be a surprise to turn up in the garden!! Really cool fungus…and poem, enjoyed it–your last line brings it all in perspective.
Thank you lynndiane, it was a surprising discovery to see it. Glad I had my camera nearby.
Oh be careful Michael – don’t want you being taken to outer space for any science experiments or anything like that. 😉
Too late RoSy, they sent me back, that must tell us something….
Oh Michael, I’m so glad when someone else makes these discoveries before do; then I won’t be quite so horrified if I should be so unfortunate! Now I remember an article once that was titled: “Starfish Fungi raises a stink”-Lol, sounds like it does!