Mycology Poem by Raymond Farrell

It has been said
(and rightly so I think)
there are bold mushroom hunters
and there are old mushroom hunters
but there are no old and bold mushroom hunters

Historically, mycology has been considered
a branch of botany
but it is a misfit
because fungi are in many ways
more closely related to animals
than to plants

The field must be approached with caution
it takes time and patient teachers
for one to be able to identify
the various species of mushrooms
but a whole new world awaits
those willing to persevere
one that will feed
both mind and body
and as scientific research progresses
it is becoming clear
fungi have a lot to offer
when it comes to treating
cancer and various conditions
that plague mankind.

There on the forest floor
or growing on a nearby tree trunk
may be the next break through
scientists are looking for
if they would just leave their laboratories
long enough to pause and consider
what God has already provided
before it has been decimated
plowed under and paved over
in the name of progress.