A Cautionary Tale

Once, a little Spanish girl was given a "regalo" - a dainty little potted plant, a purple-petalled mallow. She set it in a sunny spot, beneath a southern window, re-housed it in an iron pot and named it, "Don Galindo". She gave it water every day, and gave its loam a hoeing. She talked to it and petted it, and marvelled at its growing. Her plant rose tall and strong and fine, rewarding all her labors: "¡Te quiero!" sighed the little girl: "¡Que raro!" cried the neighbors. Joy never lasts, grief always comes, said someone (maybe Byron?) Galindo's roaming, ravenous roots were hemmed-in by the iron. The fine plant sickened and declined, all hopes of salvage scuppered: its lower parts, by steel confined, could not sustain the upper. And so, the moral of our tale - resisting is not giving. Do not preclude, prevent, prevail - rigidity's all very well, but soon turns heaven into hell! Give in to me - set us both free - don't cramp or crowd - things disallowed can hardly go on living.