I started recording my poems. It helps me focus on form and rhythm This poem was written after a storm felled lots of trees, in particular a three hundred year old tree in the centre of town.
Death of a Tree
Today I spotted a tree torn down by the wind
I took out a flask of tea and sat, watching the wind gnaw at it.
It tore the bark, peeled back layers soft as orange peel.
A squirrel scuttled round my feet,
froze and looked at me with sad green eyes.
"I am alone," it said. "The big old oak has died."
I looked up at the sky as a gentle rain began to fall,
gathering myself up, silent I walked home.
Death of a Tree
Today I spotted a tree torn down by the wind
I took out a flask of tea and sat, watching the wind gnaw at it.
It tore the bark, peeled back layers soft as orange peel.
A squirrel scuttled round my feet,
froze and looked at me with sad green eyes.
"I am alone," it said. "The big old oak has died."
I looked up at the sky as a gentle rain began to fall,
gathering myself up, silent I walked home.
3 comments:
After the stars, the trees are my great love. No surprise there being a bear and all, I suppose. I do feel pain at my core whenever I see one chopped down or ripped up though so I can relate very well to what you're doing with this or so I think anyway.
I am surprise by the language a bit though...spare and nothing wasted as is so admirable with your work but rather more like prose...Is this an experiment, I'm wondering?
Wonderful device of taking tea on the occasion and eulogizing the tree as use do and I believe so much more of course. I like it. But I will have to ponder it a bit more. Thanks, my friend.
I'm having a bit of fun at the moment experimenting with prose poetry, and trying to develop a narrative while still hoping to maintain poetic structure.
I also wanted to write from a distance, even though I was there in the poem so to speak, I didn't want to make my feelings too obvious so I kept a distance. I have no real control all I can do is act as an observer.
It was also important that I recorded the audio as I wanted to work on tempo and sound. Perhaps work is not the best word.
Thanks for looking PB.
Lord, just glanced over my comment. I most certainly should avoid writing even a comment when it's just before nap time or just after waking...My apologies for that. I can also say though that the fact that I wrote this when I was so groggy should tell you how much your experiment affected me as it kept me awake a little longer. This is a true thing. Hehee Thanks. :D
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