The world as seen through a creeping Vine

By Deliberately Evolving
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Fragile Hand wakes
In shimmer dappled
morning light, reach out
extend quivering.
My body buzzing
Flows, my arm,
Energy like current
Charge: tingling humming
Blind, I feel my world,
Explore surface,
Fingers feel, orient
The landscape touch.
Body mature,
My arm young,
young child.
Curious: “what’s this?”
Search for hook
A texture - yes.
Meet resistance
But no…
Too smooth,
I slip, can’t grip
Glass I think.
Continue on.
Something rougher,
With holes,
Wiggle fingers in,
Satisfied, cling.
Pause for breath,
From here I see,
With searching vines,
My finger eyes
What’s that?
Im piqued
Keep creep
I can’t be still.
Real biology of a tendril
Tendrils are specialised, fast-growing organs that use thigmotropism (touch-sensing) to find support.
• They constantly reach and quiver in a circling motion (circumnutation) to probe the space around them.
• They are essentially “blind” and rely entirely on touch. They test surfaces rapidly.
• Smooth surfaces are usually rejected. Rough or textured surfaces trigger an immediate response: the tendril coils tightly around the support to anchor itself.
• Once securely anchored, the tendril can continue growing or extend further from the fixed point.
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Comments
Congratulations, this is today's Pick of the Day, 4th June 2026
Well done, interesting and complex. That's why it's today's pick of the day. Please share on your social media fellow ABCTales-ers.
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Interesting anthropomorphic
Interesting anthropomorphic picture. The complexity of how the varying stimulation of chemical hormones causing variation then in growth of the two sides of the tendril, so that it curls must also be fascinating! Rhiannon
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This is our Poem of the Week
This is our Poem of the Week - Congratulations!
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