your thin hands are those of a sparrow
poised to slump, defeated scarecrow
no caws or birdsongs can reach you
no grunts or hoots from small creatures
can meander near your shadow
the green and lavender hues in the faraway
distance hurts your eyes
wallowing you deeper in your wounds & woes
how you allowed it to fester, red & rot
can the wind make you swish & sway at all?
can the sun spark a seed of memories: lush
yellow green needles, pine cones and nuts?
sorrow seeps from every pore of your skin
oh the agony of being uncrowned leafless tree
bark beetle-bested, your inside is solid carcass
knees keeling
ribs reeling
tell me when you are ready for the
axe to fall
2006.5.180 © Georgia O’Keefe Museum
Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Haunted, hosted by Melissa Lemay. Please join us when the pub doors open at 3pm EST.
Oh I love what you did with this, the dead tree an excellent metaphor. There are som great alliteration here,... like bark beetle-bested
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeously rendered, Grace! I especially admire this part; "can the wind make you swish & sway at all? can the sun spark a seed of memories: lush yellow green needles, pine cones and nuts?" ❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteThat tree has taken you to interesting places, haunted & uncrowned, Grace. I especially like:
ReplyDelete‘’…defeated scarecrow
no caws or birdsongs can reach you
no grunts or hoots from small creatures
can meander near your shadow’.
Grace, you've assessed the desolation of the dying tree so well. It is surrounded by beauty but it can't let any of it in.
ReplyDeleteA frightening poem of impending doom. Evokes such a keen sense of despair.
ReplyDelete"Your inside is solid carcass" - just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOh, this is so poignant, and the flow of words in the second stanza --the imagery just outstanding. Wow!
ReplyDelete“the green and lavender hues in the faraway
ReplyDeletedistance hurts your eyes
wallowing you deeper in your wounds & woes
how you allowed it to fester, red & rot”
“tell me when you are ready for the
axe to fall”
Sometimes we feel like we are ready. You’ve done a splendid job capturing emotion here, Grace.
Oh my, that ending! What an emotional piece.
ReplyDeleteWhat a polished piece of work, Grace! Thoroughly enjoyed the "defeated scarecrow" metaphor carried through the poem.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a sad tree, and yes, it does look like someone ready to give in.
ReplyDeleteYou pulled me in with the opening description "defeated scarecrow" then topped it with "bark beetle-bested" and the ending was a defeat and a mercy. What an enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteMs. O'Keefe would have approved, Grace!
ReplyDelete