By Francis Scudellari
Firmly rooted, she hugs once wormy earth
A fine-creased face buried in pitch black soil
With twirled trunk of a tongue unfurled to taste
Minerals absorbed since first youth's feasting
Twelve twisted limbs intermingle, enfold,
Form fibrous knots, heaped in full-spread circle,
Each fingertip burrows toward droplets,
Tantalus fruit, seeming drawn to new depths
Her underbelly a clutch of gnarled veins
Red, blue, beating with unseasoned cycles,
Robust rhythms learned centuries ago,
Become broken, now faded to murmurs
Her slate-gray back of hardened bark, sharp ridged,
Exposed till parched, scaly, randomly splotched,
Pocked by lichens, leaching precious moisture,
A constant creeping coat that gives no warmth
Green fur filling intricate crevices,
Overtaking memory's hollow stores,
Nooks carved out with accumulated years,
Notched markers of a past too soon forgot
Her self-contained web finally ebbing
With each gulped breath, spirited essence launched
Into saturated sky, our progress,
Time's precipitate retreat to new life
8 comments:
Hi Francis, I always like to take away something from poetry which the author may not have intended, but with the aging of the tree, as described by the roots, I like to think of our time here quietly marked by the presnece of such majestic life forms, so strong, durable, and ubiquitous as the tree. Well done. -Mike.
Beautiful Francis. A well written weave of metaphors, descriptors, vivid imaginings; all that combine beautifully to describe the majesticness of tree life. Wonderfully written my friend. Enjoyed it immensely.
~JD
Francis, you are amazing. you can create a whole new world with your words. and your drawings.
Hi Mike. Thanks. It's amazing to think that some redwoods have stood for 4 or 5 thousand years. I'm not exactly sure what my motivation was with this, but linking nature to humanity more closely was a big part of it.
Hi JD. Good to see your comment here. Thanks for the ego inflating feedback :). I'm glad you liked it. This one was a real struggle, and I may yet revise it a little.
Thanks so much Marmelade. Sometimes I think I live in my own strange world. Now I'm going to silently bask in your lovely compliment :).
As out time is limited so is the trees. This is a sad poem.
Hi Cooper. It's definitely meant to be sad. I hoped to convey a sense of loss both natural and human-activity aided.
I am dumb, I thought for a while you were describing an earthworm..lol...such play of words...great.
Not dumb at all Jena. I was going for the image of an anthropomorphized tree, especially focused on the roots, so that is something somewhat earthworm like.
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