- Gecko Newsletter Opened to Contributors

In the 1998 Gecko Newsletter there was a call out for articles to the network. This had a lovely response of the poets of the network sharing their work.
Here are some below:

Gecko Summer 2001
by Cheri Marsh
Master Gardener, Chelan County  

It looked so pretty,
There in the ditch,
So I moved it to the rockery,
In a little niche . . .
It loved the sun, the water, the care,
it flourished, it bloomed and had seeds to spare.
The sprouts, they were many, all over the place,
I moved them again, now my walkway they graced.
My friends all admired them, and gladly I shared,
for the beauties abounded, I had plenty to spare.
They seemed to enjoy all my loving attention,
so I transplanted more, too many places to mention!
I was proud as punch of those pretty flowers,
as I watched them spread, almost by the hour.
then one day Terry Weedboard stopped by for a visit,
so I pointed it out and asked, “What the heck is it?”
“Oh my gosh, it’s noxious, you’ll have to spray!”
and with that one little sentence, he ruined my day.
This story, it’s true, and ‘twas mournful for me,
the day St. John’s Wart succumbed to the 2,4-D.

Gecko Autumn 2004
Henry, The English Holly Tree
-inspired by the Jamison Creek Newsletter “Skink”

I’m Henry the English Holly Tree
I’m one of the biggest weeds you’ll ever see.
Not only am I tall, proud, big and strong
I’m just as beautiful as I am long.

And as I spread with the greatest of ease
I knock over fences I strangle trees.
I can even get tangled in overhead cables
Stopping power from reaching the lamps on your tables.

And I don’t stop there, I’m a hungry old tree
I love to get farmers. I’m nasty, that’s me.
I take over pasture which animals need
No grass for the cows to enjoy a good feed.

The only way you can stop me from growing so tall
Is to find and kill me when I am small.
And although I’m a Grandad, you’ve reached me too late
You can still take action and reach my young mate.