Beetle Verses Elm

By skinner_jennifer

Mon, 09 Oct 2017
  • 1648 reads
6 comments
 

Late 70s flourish of

trees once majestic,

stolen by affliction –

disease snatched life,

 

trunks lay shipwrecked,

earth shuddered a while

where once labyrinth of

roots crawled so slowly.

 

Never saw that coming

before it was too late,

let third eye guide me

not to be too analytic,

 

those parasites snatched

life from out the ground,

they came with chainsaws

you were chopped down,

 

each limb severed by

mighty hands, all we

saw were rooftops where

once your spirit reigned.

 

The ghosts are long forgotten

but I remember times gone, in

photographs I wonder if your

memory with others lingers on.

 

 

Certificate U
Poem
Scrap Book Of Memories
Spiritual
Nature

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I've been puzzled, and very pleased in recent years by seeing the distinctive fruit of the elm on trees. I think it may be that the roots are not killed and can grow again, especially in hedge situations, but can't grow so big as they used to or they'll tend to get the disease again. I don't know if that is correct, but the seeds with their beautfiult light green circular thin leaf-aeroplane around them are so lovely to see, and one of those things I do recognise! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by celticman on

dutch elm is blight on our sight, but for the trees it's green as they scream. 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon. I have no idea about the growth of elms and the problems they've had to go through. We had some beautiful Elm trees just outside our garden gate that I remember well during the 1960s and early 70s, but sadly dutch elm disease did get them in the end and they were taken down leaving a gaping hole. I'll be writing about that in my patchwork of memories.

Many thanks for stopping by to read. The mystery of the elm goes on.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jack, I just hope those poor trees didn't scream or suffer too much.

Thank you for reading and your thoughts.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

"labyrinth of roots crawled so slowly" is a great image. Also "all we saw were rooftops where once your spirit reigned" bring to mind the magic of the trees.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

What a lovely comment Di_Hard, it sounds like you're on my wavelength when it comes to trees and the natural beauty of nature. I too agree that there's magic in the trees.

I'm grateful to you for reading and letting me know.

Many thanks.

Jenny.