by klr
Eighteen inches tall
... when you were planted
... when you were planted
I watched you grow
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under wet leaves
Tender whispers
from me to you
Roots delved deeper
...rings multiplied
You shot higher
than I could jump
than I could jump
Your distressed
white and gray
textured skin of nature,
textured skin of nature,
...distinguished
Your sequined leaves,
shimmering -
your forever ball gown
shimmering -
your forever ball gown
I look up at you now
...stately
as your peer, the oak
yet stylish and true
worthy of this verse
and so much more
...that
congresses of swallows
assemble on your limbs
and so much more
...that
congresses of swallows
assemble on your limbs
and sing, "Liberte'!"
Trumpeting to the sun
you were born to
live handing out daydreams
live handing out daydreams
... and
swim in blue lakes of the sky
Indeed, you will live
much longer than I
...as through the seas
in my eyes
in my eyes
...the pallet changes
Remember Shakespeare's 7 Ages of Man poem? This topic is the prompt today at dversepoets.com ; you may liken this ode to the birch tree to the aging of a human or not..the main thing is the subject of TIME...
Yes we planted from seed a tree the weeks we moved into the house. Now 23 years later, its taller and broader than the house and will outlive all of us!
ReplyDeleteI loved the personification of tree here ... well depicted emotions !!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful use of the tree to depict life. I like it!
ReplyDeletereally cool write....i love the planting of a tree on the birth of a child and watching them grow together...i think this is a great way to show our attachment to nature...you were born to live handing out day dreams....cool line that...
ReplyDeleteLovely poem--so much terrific word play and description. I love the pulse under ground and the jump shot especially, and the swimming in the sky. Sounds lovely. K.
ReplyDeleteA baby birch was planted at the house where we grew up on my 5th birthday..for several years I would jump over it..alas, I heard it was cut down by the latest owners ;_( I was very fond of it...
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this poem. It reminded me of the small apple tree my parents gave me for one of my childhood birthdays. By the time I went off to college it was full-grown, eventually very productive. I wonder if the people who live in my childhood home now still have that tree. And indeed trees WILL live much longer than we will. A sobering thought!
ReplyDeleteoutstanding poem....I thoroughly enjoyed your use of language!
ReplyDeleteI like the use of the tree to denote the passing of time, and they will live longer than us ~ Lovely share ~
ReplyDeleteMajestic! I especially like the last stanza.
ReplyDeletegreat tree analogy!
ReplyDeleteoh i like this...my fav being the underground pulse
ReplyDeletemaking the soil tremble...
I love trees, and love the several that stand in my back yard. enjoyed your poem!
ReplyDeleteLove this piece, as I have planted dozens of trees in my 53 years. An avid gardener who knows the value of the top tier plants, I read this with deep understanding and connection. I particularly appreciate the fact that you illuminate the tree's characteristics.
ReplyDeleteHi Katy, I really like this poem about the birch tree from seedling to fully grown. I got caught up in the time passing of the birch tree growing. Lovely. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteyou always dazzle me with your creativity. yes, a sense of time is there. I love people who talk to trees :) happy day. xxo
ReplyDeleteI really loved the forever ballgown...it sounds beautiful and your depth of feeling... just a wonderful poem.
ReplyDeleteI love your choice of the tree as your subject. I sometimes am amazed that my old oak trees have been living here longer than any house was ever on my property. The stories they could tell...
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete"Your underground pulse
made the soil tremble
under wet leaves
Tender whispers "
Love this...the shape of your poem echoing the slender birch is lovely too!