Shezani Nasoordeen (Epsom Girls Grammar School, Auckland)
Gardening for the 21st Century Woman
Prune.
This is the only way
you will get anywhere
girls.
Be ruthless.
Who needs frivolous flowers
and leaves
and fruit.
All that nonsense
will be of no use
to you.
You must start
with some sharp secateurs.
Cut first
the flower
then the stalk
and the woody root
until you are left
with a neat
manageable
skeleton.
Next week girls–topiaries.
