Home


   Sebastian Schloessingk




PLANTED IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS

Abruptly with warning everyone in their scuffed
armchairs sat forward. The BBC had chosen
to release across the country east to west
a batch of news spores really damaging

which for some years and reason they’d kept wrapped:
almost all Britain’s ash trees would get dieback
and perish. Timeline: 20 years. Dendrologists,
newspapers, nursery-owners, were on message

in this. Viewers leant forward into a bitter
spore-laden easterly of blackleaf prediction.
But as quickly the wind fell, the media after
a week dropped the story. Had it been said in fact?

What could a body do? Were thick-limbed favourites
already collapsing in gloom outline across
the window? Teacups of other news to the fore?
We sat back somnolent (and awaited dieback).


Home