Riverside Fun-gi

Give thanks for humble fungi,
greatest kingdom on earth!
Which, like sori clusters under ferns,
regenerate by moving, not warring.

More animal than plant-like,
but we fail to learn their style:
not one in twenty of their millions yet classified.

Before our first "great" war ended,
Beatrix penned her animal tales.
Yet these were not her greatest mark:
Woodland fungi grabbed her first.

Great Linnean patriarchs barred her
talking. And like our warring ways,
it took them 100 years to
apologise, put down their blinkers.

Perhaps now we can all say "sori"
for harms done to earth;
to each family, tribe and land:
100 years’ heedless fighting is enough.
Better to grow through movement.