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| A much younger Live Oak in Charleston, SC (Not THE Angle Oak in John's Island) |
There are few things more innocent than trees,
more long suffering, more accepting, more resolute.
I've walked beneath the stately arms of Charleston's Angle Oak,
traced the steadfast strength of her lumbering limbs upon the ground,
my fingertips tingling along her ridges and grooves -
stoically strong as only a grandmother's can be.
She was once a sapling swaying in John's Island Ashley breeze,
surviving humidity, hurricanes, humans.
And yet, old age doesn't weaken
but magnifies her purpose.
Unfalteringly virtuous, possessed of unflinching strength
that sustains and nourishes.
I've been drawn to other trees -
a weeping willow's waterfall of branches
sheltering me as a youth tucked away
with a book and dreams;
a cedar tree's towering strength still stands
along the tree line of my childhood home,
craggy branches reach out, nymph like,
sparse wispy needles tickle sky's blue -
I gaze up a bit dizzy, still feel so very small;
a beloved tree, long gone,
our horses grazing beneath thick branches
as we dangled our scrappy limbs from above
enjoying a bird's eye view of surrounding fields.
Protected.
Reminiscent of a (grand) mother, an aunt, a sister.
There's an intimacy, a healing, a grounding
that courses through my veins,
making them more than mere memories.
by Margaret Bednar, January 18, 2018
This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Wordy Thursday with Wild Woman - The Tree Sisters"
A glimpse of Angle Oak:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-angel-oak-tree
14 comments:
Beautiful. I loved your take on trees, so much like my own. The last stanza says it all, like an aunt, a sister, a grandmother....One of my best friends is a tree. So much to love in this.
How absolutely beautiful. I love "old age doesn't weaken her,
but magnifies her purpose". I loved the trees you mentioned, and envisioned each one, some with kids lounging on the branches. Take it very easy, Margaret, and rest and heal. I know today has been a very hard day. Thank you for taking part.
A beautiful flow that reads like an ode. My best bit: 'And yet, old age doesn't weaken her,
but magnifies her purpose....'
Luv the theme of sutainability in your poem Margaret and these libes most of all
"And yet, old age doesn't weaken her,
but magnifies her purpose"
much💝love
What a beautiful poem Margaret. How it took me back to my childhood with woodland with a stream running through it just over a field at our back fence. Plenty of trees to climb and survey the world with birds and animals scampering out the way.
Sigh....Margaret this is breathtaking!! You have given trees the acknowledgment they so deserve. I love this entire poem....each and every line!!
Very nice, Sherry. I was at home right away but memories of being amongst the trees really hit me about the middle, theses lines:
"a cedar tree's towering strength still stands
along the tree line of my childhood home, ...
I gaze up a bit dizzy, still feel so very small ... "
It reminds me so very much of riding my horse on a dirt road, three miles to high school, through where trees were growing from both sides. Magnificent but not really appreciated those days.
..
Such a strong piece - shows a great affinity with those glorious trees
And yet, old age doesn't weaken
but magnifies her purpose.
Such a powerful statement which rings out with so much truth. We all need to magnify our purpose in these times.
A lovely tribute to trees, Margaret! I enjoyed the tangible lines:
'I've walked beneath the stately arms of Charleston's Angle Oak,
traced the steadfast strength of her lumbering limbs upon the ground,
my fingertips tingling along her ridges and grooves'
and the personification of the tree as a grandmother:
'...old age doesn't weaken
but magnifies her purpose.
Unfalteringly virtuous, possessed of unflinching strength'.
I also liked 'I gaze up a bit dizzy, still feel so very small'.
I love this... the tribute to the trees.. in all shapes and sizes we do love them as mothers sisters and aunts... We have a big oak in our garden and just love that tree...
Beautiful! This could be the testimony of a Dryad! Lyrically powerful, and filled with such evocative imagery. A wonderful tribute!
The beauty, glory, strength, of trees is a magnificent thing to see and contemplate. "And yet, old age doesn't weaken but magnifies her purpose." I love that.
'And yet, old age doesn't weaken
but magnifies her purpose. '
This stands out for me. What a strong, lovely poem, Margaret!
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