"Kissing Porpoise" - Photo: JCN
lifetime share relax connect place last class awe home will years trip
Poets & Storytellers invites us to write about a dead tree.
Posted to dVerse Open Night too.
The Dogwood
It was her great love—
Holding pride of place
In the front yard—
And also in her heart.
Planted when
The children were young.
Slow growing—
A lifetime tree
In a class of its own.
It graced our home
There for thirty years or more
But it was always “her tree”,
Sharing in the arrival
Of family and visitors,
Welcoming us back
From trips overseas.
We would relax on the verandah,
Enjoying its changes.
Draped in white spring blossom,
Each flower appearing
As a kissing porpoise.
Flowers then gave way
To acid green foliage,
Turning scarlet in autumn.
Passing strangers, in awe,
Would photograph each other
In front of it, share it—
A work of natural art,
A connection with nature.
She died.
The tree lived on,
A living reminder of her.
I left the house last year.
A short while later—
The tree died.
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aww a beautiful relational poem about a tree amidst a family
ReplyDeleteYou create such vivid pictures, I can visualise it all. And you have a deft hand with understatement for (paradoxically) creating emotional depth.
ReplyDeleteWhat a passionate and poignant poem of remembrance - hoping there will be new trees for you - Jae
ReplyDeleteSad beautiful tender poem. Seamless use of the given words.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a powerful poem of remembrance.
ReplyDeleteA nice tribute. Even a tree dies or even when we die, something is remembered.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day.
Sometimes trees' lives do seem tied to human lives. A lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteI could see and even smell the tree through your imagery. Such a magnificent emblem of rich lives together including the mortality of form yet a flavour of strong love, continuing on forever. Thank you for this evocation and reminder of trees as such loyal and symbolic companions.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and moving tribute.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite flowering tree. Thanks for this reminder of it.
ReplyDeleteThe ending was so sad to me.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful poem and a tribute.
A tender, touching poem about the life of a family tree and of the family, ‘a lifetime tree in a class of its own’. I especially love the image of ‘each flower appearing as a kissing porpoise’ and the different colours of the tree.
ReplyDeleteI love the thought of a tree connected to a person like that.
ReplyDelete"Each flower appearing
ReplyDeleteAs a kissing porpoise."
I can picture this. A soft, gentle poem with a charming tree in the center.
I had chills as I read your lovely poignant poem, a premonition of what the end might be.
ReplyDelete