Early morning mist begins to melt,
shrinking back from advancing light.
The remnant of a tree stands exposed.
This one has survived fire and logging, both.
Its remaining trunk, very shortened, is charred black.
Around it nothing else grows.
The ground is denuded, except for the waste
from old tree-fellings — a thick litter, dead.
Further back there are trees, at the new edge of the forest.
But this one stands alone. Not worth taking?
Yet, from the truncated trunk, two branches
reach out sideways; they even have leaves.
Is half a life better than none? In this case,
life is simply life, renewing itself, and whole:
a force unspent, with no half-measures.
The black spike of the damaged trunk
stands straight against the blue, lingering mist.
The branches curl and stretch, reaching up with their tendrils.
Beauty, in the eye of this beholder,
sanctifies the surrounding space, says a defiant no
to the loggers and wood chippers. Life re-asserts itself.
to the loggers and wood chippers. Life re-asserts itself.
The April 19 prompt for 'Poems in April' at 'imaginary garden with real toads' is the idea of 'half'. Of various pictures accompanying the prompt, this one seized my imagination.
Ah, lovely, Rosemary--the half of that particular tree will have a great deal of leaves on one side and wild roses at its base. (It was hit by lightning.) Really a lovely poem. Thanks so much for participating in the prompt. k.
ReplyDeleteI applaud "life reasserting itself" - as it always tries to do, no matter the devastation. Thank heavens!
ReplyDelete"a thick litter, dead." What happens to children/animals in a fire! And yet life returns. When will we have gone too far? Thanks for this powerful poem.
ReplyDeleteYou just have to admire the tree's resolve. Lovely poem
ReplyDeleteThis is so encouraging to me. There is so much in life that tears us down/ cuts us in half, but what is left is more than enough to regrow ourselves if we let it. Beautiful
ReplyDeleteLove the optimism. I think that life will grow from within that branch... Maybe seedpods and some saplings, half a life is soon a whole forest.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Björn on this one... There's a stoic kind of optimism in this, as in much of nature. Half a tree can live on and spread more trees about, but if we're not careful it won't be too long before that's not enough. Beautiful write!
ReplyDeleteWonderful piece.
ReplyDeleteZQ
Beauty in the eye of a beholder never fails, is never more nor never less.
ReplyDelete..
Your apt descriptions of the tree's stature is revealing and beautiful, Rosemary. Great writing. :)
ReplyDeleteYou ask, Is "half a life better than none?" Then, remind us, " Life re-asserts itself." using the half dead tree as a metaphor. Wonderfully done.
ReplyDelete