Giant Redwoods

Cherry

By marandina

Thu, 23 Sep 2021
  • 2665 reads
19 comments
 

Audio version at https://soundcloud.com/user-62051685/giant-redwoods-mp3

 

 

Shafts of silver light cascade at twilight,

a canopy bordering an evening sky revealed,

constellations look down on mighty bows,

Heaven-bound from a green canvass below.

 

From the slopes of the seared Sierra Nevada

to clusters of conifers in Wiltshire wilds,

standing, soaring, branches reach for infinity,

elemental sentries standing guard as epochs pass.

 

Millennia melt into our intertwining past,

history recorded in etched, concentric rings,

winds blow quietly as autumn leaves rustle,

towering trees watching, no judgement passed.

 

Of crumbling bark flaking and roots of ages,

where spotted owls perch and raccoons call home.

Giant Redwoods spawning seeds of sequoia

with uncounted numbers of hushed tales to tell.

 

Time waits for no man, nor flora or fauna,

numbers dwindle as Earth’s climate changes,

a fragile fate rests in future, erudite hands,

silent observers chronicling an unwritten demise.

 

https://twitter.com/BeeRummie/status/1434856287687352323 link to a short video I took of Giant Redwoods in Wiltshire

 

https://www.savetheredwoods.org/about-us/faqs/the-threats-to-the-redwoods/

 

Image free to use at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A014,_Sequoia_National_Park,_Cal...

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous Poems
Nature

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Paul,

I listened to you reading this poem and thought how accomplished you were at talking. You should be a narrator for some nature programme, I think you'd excel, because you have just the right tone.

Your poem brings to mind how fragile nature is, and even though redwoods appear big and strong, even they can succumb to disease.

You have a poem of wonder and sadness. I hope the spotted owl continues to flourish, they are so wise and beautiful birds.

I shall ponder on this one Paul, it's very inspiring.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by marandina on

Oh thanks for reading and listening, Jenny. Those audio clips take ages to get right. Well for me, anyway. I just hope my Brummie drawl doesn't get in the way.

The poem was inspired by Giant Redwoods I saw at Center Parcs in Longleat just recently. Magnificent trees yet endangered.

Thanks again. Paul :)

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I like the 'history recorded in etched, concentric rings'

Magnificent trees, and like the mountains, they speak of strength and stability in our fragile present world.Though they too will pass, it is good to try to take heed to preserve more where we can.

In fact the variey of types of tree and their different beauties can give rise to many metaphors! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

Ah thanks for reading it, Rhiannon. Yes, many metaphors flow from trees. Paul :)

 

Submitted by hilary west on

Hi,

This gave me an overwhelming sense of serenity, in the face of these giant redwoods, sadly endangered. I think they were featured in 'Vertigo', do you recall?

hilary  smiley

 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading it, Hilary. If I have watched "Vertigo" it will have been many, many moons ago. They are serene trees indeed. Thanks again. Paul :)

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Beautifully done (both versions) - thank you!

 

Submitted by marandina on

Oh thank you, insert :)

 

Submitted by celticman on

time waits for no man, indeed. Flora and fauna they are a diffrent beast. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Poetic and true, CM. Thanks for reading it, sir. Paul

 

Submitted by marandina on

Oh thanks for the cherries, ABC Eds. Much appreciated. Paul :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

You have caught the stateliness I imagine they must have, almost as if they are outside the every day problems of life, being so old, yet they are so close to suffering the fate of so many other trees. "silent observers" "no judgement passed" "sentries" really illustrates how they can do nothing to help themselves survive the changes we have set in motion.   It must have been so traumatic for firefighters who could only  wrap fractions of trunk in foil blankets as the fires drew nearer

 

Submitted by marandina on

Ah thanks for reading, Di. Yes truly magnificent trees with a fate linked to our own with climate change. Let's hope we all prevail. Paul

 

Submitted by Penny4athought on

Your Ode to these magnificent giants is heartfelt and knowing that their fate is tentative, hanging in the fickle winds of wild fires burning in California, it is also gut wrenching. Your words are a testament to their longevity on this earth and our collective foolishness.sad

Penny4athought

Submitted by marandina on

Oh thank you for reading it and those thoughtful words. I must catch up with your ongoing story. Will be with you, shortly :)

 

Submitted by Hades502 on

Wow Paul, that was a treat to be able to listen to it as I read it. I have always felt poetry was best listened to rather than merely read. Quite the effect. That was very good. Congratulations on the cherries.

GGHades502

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading and listening, Hades. Always good to hear from you. Paul.

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Paul

Sort of a hymn to a dying world. Lovely choice of words.

Jean Day

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, Jean. Hopefully not to late to stop the world from dying. Paul