i heard the gossip
under the shades-
sneaky & stealing neighbors
kind & helpful friends
errant kids & strangers on the prowl
over the wall,
exchanges of motherly notes
and recipes for home made remedies-
nerdy friends busy
as mushrooms sending messages-
behind the fence,
chatterboxes filled with stories
from friends across the field-
news of birth & spring parties
of wild blue flowers-
clack of knitting needles as
children nod off to sleep-
between two ancient mothers
"a family is moving in tomorrow."
"let's prepare a nice dish."
"and big welcome banner!"
"we trees need to stick together!"
Inspired by Ted Talk's Suzanne Simard: How Trees Talk to Each other
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Community - Hosted by Paul Dear ~ Thanks for the visit ~
OH! I LOVE this! Was not what I was expecting, and delightfully so!
ReplyDeleteFun poem -- but especially after re-reading it after you telling us what it is about. Here I quoted a poet's suggestion on titles that may help less skilled readers like me.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the TED talk was fun.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Simard's talk. She makes a good case for forest communities. The most surprising part for me was that mother trees protected their own seedlings encouraging their successful growth. I liked your conclusion "we trees need to stick together!"
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful and surprising. All the while you plant(ahem!) memories of mothers chatting across the fence and pour images of nostalgia into our cups, well mine anyways. The clue hidden in the title is very strong and I am reminded how important it is to stop and think and read before moving onto the body of the poem. Marvin would be chuckling.Delightful response to the prompt Grace. Thank You.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I could hear the undertone of gossip throughout the poem. I love the idea of talking trees and want to know what the trees in our garden are talking about. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the talk among trees... what a unique take on the prompt. Had never considered it... but I wonder if they are so friendly to each other.
ReplyDeleteOh what trees could say if they were gossip hounds, a fun one indeed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to the Ted Talk, really interesting.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much going on beneath our feet...
Anna :o]
The gossip ... over the wall ... behind the fence ... between two ancient mothers. So cleverly presented.
ReplyDeleteVery imaginative. The wonderings there around.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful write Grace! Took such a wonderful turn at the end.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, with vivid imagery as always. I felt the trees' happiness and community. :D
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ReplyDeleteThere seems to be still lots of connection among neighbors but the trees could have witnessed better ties among those neighbors of long ago. Very true Grace!
ReplyDeleteHank
I just started reading the Hidden Life of Trees - and I live in a forest. This was refreshing. I love the 'clack of knitting needles' and mushrooms sending messages ;)
ReplyDeleteThat lovely swishing of branches: trees definitely talk to me ... and I suspect - each other. I enjoyed reading this piece - so imaginative and cleverly rendered.
ReplyDeleteVery well said---or written should I say. If trees could talk.
ReplyDelete