A Hymn to Fungal Foray

Recently a friend of mine, Dave Wood, a writer, presented me with a hymn that he'd been inspired to write after a fungus foray.  In actual fact, he sang it to me to the tune of a hymn - it moved me so much I asked him to send me the words and here they are!

I thought this posting would make a nice change from my usual informative style of writing.  Fungi are well worthy of a hymn in praise I think!


a hymn to fungal foray - geastrum schmidelii  (dwarf earthstar fungus)
(Cloud Mist – Derbyshire)


out the mud the caps come peeping
winter's breath that's deep and seeping
trail of fungus goes on creeping
up towards the clouds spun grey

see from dirt such beauty grows
hunting in the highs and lows
we are gatherers in the rows
eyes in wonder at the spoils

boxes - baskets - palms and fingers
stepping on then stop to linger
nettles stabbing as we find 
another plus to our foray

here's our earthstar - all eyes flicker
pickers ramblers - hearts and tickers
orange blues and browns from pickers
gathered round as if to pray

all is laid out flat before us
delicate and soft (luxurious)
here's to stalking hands that curious
hunt the gold that's grown in clay

copyright Dave Wood

Nottinghamshire writer, Dave Wood, creates poems to commission for all kinds of life experiences.  He produced  'A Hymn to Fungal Foray' as a response to a mushroom hunt by a local Nottinghamshire nature group.  Examples of his work can be seen at http://specialpoetry.blogspot.co.uk/.