The Pecan Tree
Despair is watching you try to
mend your heart day after day.
It is wanting to fashion a breastplate
from my own bones to keep you whole.
It is the color of the earth
found at the base of the pecan tree
in my father’s front yard.
Dark and mysterious, the earth
flings the tree toward the sky.
I gaze at clouds with dirt on my hands
and wonder if we will be as old as
this tree before we can touch them.
This is a Magpie Tale and a response to the Poetry Jam prompt.
Dark and mysterious indeed, but not without the beauty of love.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful and apt description of despair, Bug!
ReplyDeleteI love the image of the earth "flinging" the tree skyward.
Healing is a funny process...sometimes it occurs spontaneously, and sometimes it takes years.
We may occasionally help healing along but there are many other times we can't, no matter how hard we try.
It is excruciating to feel so helpless.
Your love is obviously deep and tender, and that goes along way to assuage the pain in your beloved. I envision your father's pecan tree embracing you both and lifting you up to the clouds.
"...a breastplate from my own bones to keep you whole." Just wonderful!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful, heartfelt poem, wonderful imagery:)
ReplyDeletewow great one ma'am...i particularly like...
ReplyDeleteIt is wanting to fashion a breastplate
from my own bones to keep you whole
tight, and that the earth flings the tree to the sky...
great capture of despair...
Thought provoking and beautifully written!! Perfect for both prompts!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteLove this, Bug. Great jamming.
ReplyDeleteDark and mysterious, the earth
ReplyDeleteflings the tree toward the sky.
Powerful sense of movement made my mind follow these words up into unknown realms...
it is like communion, with love, with nature and with life. Lovely
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed this poem, thanks!
ReplyDeleteSome very intriguing imagery.
ReplyDeletePerfect for the Jam and the Mag!!!
ReplyDeleteDeliciously evocative...full of earthiness and despair...I love the touch of the earth on your hands...so symbolic...
ReplyDeletelovely mood to this, goes perfectly with the image too
ReplyDeleteAww.. this is dark, dreary and yet, filled with hope too. The tree is life and yes, it reaches for the sky, as does our hope too.
ReplyDeleteLovely.
I really love this... so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteVery lovely...I like the use of the pecan tree as your vessel for your emotions ~
ReplyDeleteWell done ~
I love this. The images and the earthiness of entire poem root us in the speaker's despair. The longing is palpable.
ReplyDeleteI like this one very much--good response to the Jam prompt! I like the images of the breastplate and the earth flinging up the tree. Also I like the photo with the clippers behind you blog title.
ReplyDeleteOh this is just wonderful from start to finish, but I especially love
ReplyDelete"Despair is watching you try to
mend your heart day after day.
It is wanting to fashion a breastplate
from my own bones to keep you whole."
I am in awe dear Bug, that you can take two totally different prompts and crochet their voices together into such an incredible poem! You could publish this. You should publish this. Brilliant work. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletewanting to fashion a breastplate
ReplyDeletefrom my own bones to keep you whole.
This is inspiring... making me want to scrap everything I have ever written and learn to dig deeper, think more imaginatively.
Just beautiful! I love your poems.
Poignantly observed view of the dark Patriarchy
ReplyDeleteSuperb! I agree with Margaret's every word.
ReplyDelete