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Wed 8 Nov, 2006 02:37 pm
We have a pretty wall outlining the height of the little tree.
There are shiny clusters of leaves, all dark and lush- with striae,
Among them, and not hidden are the values you can see.
But you can watch if you want to, while covert ones take them away.
Before it has reached a ripened stage, the covert thief comes,
With a knife, he dissects the fruit, spilling the juice all down.
And one little part of the tree has been slashed and runs
Over the ground in liquid- like tears that are dripped around.
Maybe sometime, a day to recover, and grow strength to bloom
The tree, peering up at the sunshine, and spreading limbs like long arms.
Oh, alas comes the thief some more, this time under the moon.
He grubs for a lot, drooling and laughing - the tender joints harmed.
"I'll show you no pity, my cuss of a tree, your wall will mirror your grief!
This lemon, this tanjo, this kiwi of delight are mine; see here my knife?
And I will cut them as I desire, you have NO choice but to give!" chants the thief.
"And I will cut until it saps out your (muh wah ahahahahahaha) your life!!!"
On the shadowed wall, the little tree, bent with age and covered by a bower
Has fruit that is lush, midst the dark, true green of splendor,
Little it matters that the most of juice is sour---- Oh, sour!
There still is LIFE ere the thief is gone, and the tree can yet love surrender.
Tips hat in thanks. lanaia
continued:
"Hey guy? Didn't you always have a line of gab? That cutting wit wot
stirred the small talk round? " And then he frowned.
"Yeah, seems to me-- it was always lain with fun, but the nice edge is
the gentility. Yes, the class ... and the suggestions, profound.
Was all that 'social grace' practiced about to get to a place? -- you know,
ALOOF response, and all that giving ground?
"Heh, heh, sure and I still got the ears of many. Distinctive, brilliant,
really sought out by my kin"...laughs as he sucks breath in, slimming the
throat and chin.
"Now we need Jon The double nixer. You bring him around and he'll be
a fixer, No time you'll be brewing strong, and keeping the fire up way
too long. It is time for love, oh yes for SONG." (humming)
"OH yes and NOW, I am the man! If one can, buddy, I am the one
that CAN . I be ok--- for in my style I take out the only things that
make her want to go away," smiling in the usual arrogance.
I cross the street, I walk quickly away. There is not the same gentleman
of integrity here today.
Once the manner was crisp, but honest and true, and he swallowed
insults before he let one slap you....
It's not easy, but he's different, and we are all through...
continued:
The pear and the jelly just don't look the same, are you sure this was one time this way?
It is knobby and knotty, and mottled and green and hard --
Looks like it'd stay that way!
Oh, you trimmed off the outer layers, you say,
to reveal the juicy inside.
Then you heated and smashed and sugared and salted, and strained as you did divide.
What a DIFFERENCE, the look, and the FEEL and the picture,
I took of the jar and the pear.
Maybe that's why 'I' get funny gazes and stances, telling me I'm not known anywhere...
God worked on the edges, smoothed off the old skin, and sweetened the part that's within.
So I walk in the Praise and aura of Goodness, and don't want to
partner with sin.
I'm not entirely sure I get the message or moral exactly of each of these. I know what I think it is, you might have meant it differently.
I really like that last one. It's a concept I hadn't really thought about that much- how the circumstances surrounding something can make it appear to be something entirely different than what it truly is. The concept of the fruit and the jam is perfect. It's still fruit, though almost unrecognizable in different form, because of what's been done to it. Really clever.
Like I said before ollady - you're a deep thinker- I enjoy reading your stuff.
I appreciate your comments aiden.
Actually, the concept of changing by FORCE is present in all three stanzas. It is just more clearly defined in three, also... the third stanza indicates a change for good, instead of self indulgence or destruction.
A tree can be beautiful and thrive, even when a parasitic plant has attached to it, and sucks it's life. That is not always true though, and people, like trees need help for GOOD change.
Too, relationships can appear to be normal and have a real impact on us in the beginning, then.... when duplicity is revealed; when one learns they are being USED, it is something lost forever...
Just like a fruit loses something in the transition from birth to 'jam', it also gains something, and becomes even more fruitful.
I think I just long to give the world something that would cause them to want to be useful and productive---
ollady - I got the change for good in the last stanza- that was pretty obvious from the fact that the pear went from being hard and knobbly to being sweetened and softened, into jam etc. I guess what I bring to my interpretation of it is that change in a positive direction is good if it's voluntary, and sometimes it needs to happen whether it's voluntary or not - but it's most productive and useful when it's both in a positive direction and voluntarily made by the person involved. (
that interpretation couln't really work with a pear though).
I might just be bringing that interpretation to your poem though, because of what's going on in my life right now (totally apart from a2k - I've been rather involuntarity put through some major changes - and jesus it's been hard).
I can only ever really assure myself that I know what someone probably meant when I know the person. Unfortunately, I don't know you at all- so I hesitate to ascribe or assume or apply my meaning to your words. If I knew you - I'd feel more confident telling myself that I knew what you meant. So I'm glad you explained.
Quote:I think I just long to give the world something that would cause them to want to be useful and productive---
Hallelujah - me too. I'm sure you do, just as I try to assure myself that's my purpose. I don't for a moment think that I can judge what anyone does in his or her life by what they might convey here - because like I said - it can be extremely deceiving, as well as misinterpreted.
You are too kind aiden.
Your assessment of poetry is likely going to b as good as the lines,
because you are so sincere.
I
READ you about involuntary changes that you can't control... I can relate to that as I am sure most all could. And it is very hard!
I am sitting at the computer this AM about to crawl back into my bed, INSTEAD of being in the laundry and flitting about with the duster and polish---(oh how my rooms need it) because I have type A flu, strep throat, and deep chest congestion. I really feel lousy, and have been eating like an endless "gut" trying to fight this thing. The fat shot I got at my Dr.s yesterday has helped a lot with the tightness in my chest.
At my age (to let you know me better, I will say this aiden, I am 70 tomorrow). .. it is caution first and activity second. But when I am feeling WELL , I might as well be '30' something, for I am out and in it... anywhere I can be...
I'm sorry to hear you're ill. I think you're right - rest and sleep are the most healing things. And I don't know about where you are, but here it's gray and rainy and windy (though not too cold) - anyway a perfect afternoon for a nap.
I hope you have a nice birthday tomorrow. This is such a milestone year for a lot of people I know. One friend is turning sixty, two teachers from my childhood I'm still in touch with are turning eighty- you're turning seventy.
It always makes me happy to see people I know getting older and still active and happy - (which as you say, you usually are and will be again when you get rid of your flu - which sounds horrible by the way - make sure you take antibiotics for the strep - I can't remember what happens, but I know untreated strep can be bad). Anyway, knowing people with wisdom, energy and a positive attitude make adding years something to look forward to instead of dread.
As I said, I hope you feel better and have a happy birthday tomorrow.
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