Virginia Creeper, by Norbert Hirschhorn

The Briar Rose Panels: The Prince Enters the Briar Woods, by Edward Burne-Jones (UK). The series was worked on from 1870-1890.

Virginia Creeper

Five-fingered ivy, born in an neighbour’s
garden, mounts a brick wall, climbs up
the side of the terrace house next door.
Along its stem, tendrils emerge 
to penetrate and fasten in tiny fissures.  
           
Alluring parasite — so green in summer, 
blood-red in fall — crawls on to our balcony, 
aiming for down spouts and roof tiles. At night,
beneath Orion, a solitary bine
has poked through our transom window. Soon,
we’ll lie entwined as in a Briar Wood.

Norbert Hirschhorn

Norbert Hirschhorn is a public health physician, commended by President Bill Clinton as an “American Health Hero.” He lives in London  He has published four collections of poetry; a fifth is in press. His poems have appeared in numerous US/UK publications, several as prize-winning. See his website, www.bertzpoet.com.