Conflict of Care

Conflict of care—I sprayed my cyclamen to kill the mite that curls its leaves—a question of guilt—to let it die or spray the poison on its leaves, and in the air, and in the water, to compensate for overwatering that weakened it to admit the mite— wrong, and wrong again to make a right, overweening pride, to say what’s more important and claim the range of my control.

28 June 1986