monkey business

I kindly removed this from my foot
as they were bare and outside
looking closely I could see
these handy little compartments
each portal contained a seed
as food for the many birds
that visit my yard

nature is interesting in her wiles
to add the prickly part around this sphere
so when people like me are looking
up instead of down and barefoot
my stepping ended up gentle
rather than crushing it flat
rendering its seeds unprotected

this weekend I saw these very same things
in a booth at a craft show in town
they were all painted gold
and glued to pine cone wreathes for Christmas
I snickered to myself
Monkey Balls I call them
and this clever man has made a business of them

I rather they stay in the trees and the ground
shook loose from their pods
as the birds hop around
from one branch to another
no business for these Monkey's
but I hear the birds say
they are rather handy for eating out