An Encounter with the Willamette Valley’s Urtica Dioica

Wandering through the thick Willamette brush along the rivers edge

I was looking for a place to cleanse my soul in the spring water

The Urtica Dioica obscured my path as I stumbled down

Entangled, I was left stagnant and swollen with red gashes that burned my flesh

While stuck in the marshy cluster of the creeping stems

The venom injected caused Royal Empowerment

My vision became blurred by previous mistakes

Forming scars from my ongoing Journey of Curiosity

Devoured by the strong vines and healthy leaves

The beautiful greenery disrupted my course

I was hopeful the sting would end as I rested on a rock

But, the Passion of my Addict Mind trusted the plant’s labyrinth

Finding that all too familiar comfort in the Pain endured

I was intrigued by the internal flutter of crawling insects

Untouched by intimate burdens, I felt safe in that maze of weeds

Nestled there, I could not dismiss the unintentional stumble

Quickly I realized I was not poisoned or dying

The sting had no long-term effect

I only wanted my thoughts washed away in Her river

Instead, I was knee deep in that river soothing the burn of the Common Stinging Nettle

Cleansing the infected wounds left behind from the encounter

Mother Nature’s brisk waters washed away the remnants

I released my grip and drifted from the entangled confusion

Only to have a piece of my Life’s Puzzle lodged in his stinging embrace