Elder (Sambucus nigra)
Ask the Mother before taking flower,
berry, or wood. If respected, she will
protect from sprites or devils. Plant her seed
by your door but do not burn her branches;
the poison vapor turns to cyanide
in human lungs. So, like most mothers,
a contradiction. Tough bark, soft center.
Medicinal or toxic fruit depends
upon your preparation. Her hard love
dies in sixty years. Too soon. Too soon.
What Life Is Like Here on Earth, out from Sheila-Na-Gig in May 2026, is Katherine Riegel’s fourth full-length collection of poetry. See more.