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<a href="../index.html">Index of Subje Delightful! Thanks, Blake!JCz Blake Maybank wrote: > At 10:11 AM 26/01/2007, Chris wrote: >> This spiraling growth form of plants is called chirality. > > Not to diminish any of Chris's thorough explanation, I would also like > to add another interpretation, from a song by Michael Flanders (melody > by Donald Swan), called "Misalliance". > > > *Misalliance* > > The fragrant Honeysuckle spirals clockwise to the sun > And many other creepers do the same. > But some climb anti-clockwise; the Bindweed does, for one, > Or /Convolvulus/, to give her proper name. > > Rooted on either side a door one of each species grew > And raced towards the window-ledge above; > Each corkscrewed to the lintel in the only way it knew, > Where they stopped, touched tendrils, smiled, and fell in love. > > Said the right-handed Honeysuckle > To the left-handed Bindweed: > 'Oh, let us get married > If our parents don't mind; we'd > Be loving and inseparable, > Inextricably entwined; > we'd Live happily ever after,' > Said the Honeysuckle to the Bindweed. > > To the Honeysuckle's parents it came as a shock. > 'The Bindweeds', they cried, 'are inferior stock, > They're uncultivated, of breeding bereft; > We twine to the right and they twine to the left!' > > Said the anti-clockwise Bindweed > To the clockwise Honeysuckle: > 'We'd better start saving, > Many a mickle maks a muckle, > Then run away for a honeymoon > And hope that our luck'll > Take a turn for the better,' > Said the Bindweed to the Honeysuckle. > > A Bee who was passing remarked to them then: > Tve said it before, and I'll say it again; > Consider your off-shoots, if off-shoots there be, > They'll never receive any blessing from me! > > 'Poor little sucker, how will it learn > When it is climbing, which way to turn? > Right-left-what a disgrace! > Or it may go straight up and fall flat on its face!' > Said the right-hand thread Honeysuckle > To the left-hand thread Bindweed: > 'It seems that against us > All fate has combined ... > Oh my darling, oh my darling > Oh my darling Columbine, > Thou art lost and gone for ever, > We shall never intertwine.' > > Together they found them the very next day. > They had pulled up their roots and just shrivelled away, > Deprived of that freedom for which we must fight- > To veer to the left or to veer to the right! > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Blake Maybank > Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds" > > author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia" > http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm > > 144 Bayview Drive > White's Lake, Nova Scotia, > B3T 1Z1, Canada > > maybank@ns.sympatico.ca > (902) 852-2077 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.17.12/653 - Release Date: 1/26/2007 11:11 AM >
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