To become a lichen

To rocks, barks, leaves, and metals, I bind,


It’s cohabitation,don’t label me clingy, I mind. 


Lobed, leafy, crusty, and bearded, I appear, 


White or black, thin or fat, I defy these norms, I’m very clear.


A world within many worlds — existing as an amalgamation

A filamentous fungus, algae, and sometimes cyanobacteria together compose my being.

Questioning my identity and individuality

Who am I, if not for my composites?

One thing is certain- their absence shall be deemed treason! 

Like Mozart’s Symphony, they sing a song in harmony.

So intimate is this liaison that without it, I shall cease to exist.


A pioneer, I fly through air and water as spores or fragments.

Landing on a piece of rock or bark, I am anything but stagnant.

Unlike the shards of flying glass and bombs

That spills blood and evokes fear, dividing nations,I extend beyond borders, pyres, graves, or tombs

Cooperating selflessly or indulging in selfish cooperation

Extending my arms wherever I go. 

The hub of elemental convergence —an epitome of symbiosis,

I stretch beyond your idea of the self.

I challenge your norms of gender and beauty. 


Like a warm rug on a cold night, I hang loosely from a branch.

Flaunting stretch marks, spots, and freckles.


Peer closer, and I will free you from your shackles.

5w