Pine Trees

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By onemorething

Tue, 28 Jan 2020
  • 6221 reads
19 comments
 

A pine tree has a coolness

that imparts a blue tone

to the discomfort of its needles, and 

I have seen its spines of shade

and known that love can be as painful

as much as it can be evergreen.

 

These pine trees,

their trunks can grow broad enough

to hide a man in,

a coffin for a god,

can stretch high enough to climb skyward,

but still, at times, not refrain

from snuffing the whiteness of stars.

 

And their sap flows with the moon,

in cycles, as the syrup of kinder words wanes,

though I appear untroubled, allow the disinfectant 

of their resin to ward away the inconvenience

of possession of any blame.

 

Despite this, these pine trees,

they have marked the graves of losses

and mapped my route of regret, 

they hang my memories on the snags

of lower branches and notch out

the lengths of their tall lives.

 

Younger years survived, I divide what remains

between this forest of dependents,

from lichen scale to blooms of chanterelles 

in symbiosis and creeping ladies tresses

to the crossbills who call out

their celtic-voiced reminders from red limbs

and who pluck the seeds from fertile cones

until I burn the timber to invite a warmth back in.

 
 
Image from pixabay.

 
 

 

Certificate U
Poem
Unclassified

Comments

Submitted by drew_gummerson on

Another great poem. I'm pining for more. (Sorry. That was awful.). Drew. 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Drew. I also laughed at your joke which could be the flu and my current delirium. It's important when you're off sick to write about pine trees and moles, comment on your own poems and laugh at dodgy jokes, all part of the healing process. Thanks for the cherries too. :)

 

Submitted by drew_gummerson on

Have a gin as it's basically made of pine. 
 

And funnily enough I was reading a short story today about a woman who gets taken over by a tree. (A Joshua tree.) The Bad Graft by Karen Russell. You'd like her, I think... 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Gin! Great idea. I did wonder how sensible I'd been in staying sober for the last few days. All the lying around is ok, but my actual skin was hurting yesterday and this morning. I could have numbed this with gin if you'd made the suggestion earlier. I will look up the story, the idea of tree possession definitely appeals to me. Thank you! :)

 

Submitted by drew_gummerson on

Gin! Yes. And the story is in her latest collection, Orange World. But she's written a few and the older ones will be cheaper... 

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Sounds like you're passing up a great opportunity to get stuck into the Night Nurse (the pharmaceutical version, obviously).

I really enjoyed your coniferous exposition. Moon and sap. Yes. Makes me sorrowful about them being chopped down. I love the southern European pines and giant cedars.

Remember to medicate responsibly. Other brands are also available. But they don't have the kick! :))

Parson Thru

Submitted by onemorething on

I know. I feel like I have missed so many opportunities with this little spat of illness. All I have successfully done is languish on a sofa, but I have at least done that well. Next time, I'm definitely opting for night nurse and gin. 
 

Am pleased you liked my pine tree ramblings. Thank you. And yes, cedars windswept on hillsides. Lovely. 
 

Thanks too for your additional medical advice. :)

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Languishing on sofas is just so Ottoman. Indulge whenever the chance comes along.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I like "spines of shade"

and also that "love can be as painful

as much as it can be evergreen"

I am so impressed at all this brilliant writing while being very ill!

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks so much Di, I think there was certainly some sickbed influence, and arguably lying on a sofa is a good a time as any to write about pine trees! Am happy that you liked it. :)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Sorry to hear you're not well...I do hope health improves soon. This poem is like a beautiful spiritual thought process. The pine trees always make me think of wild mountain forests and that fresh clean air.

I think you've studied these trees well, because I love that line about the sap flowing with the moon.

It's as if you can identify with the tree  and its special qualities, it shines through in this poem.

Jenny.

 

 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Hi Jenny, thanks for reading it. I am much better today, thank you, even scraped myself off the sofa and went back to work. Am glad you liked the sap and moon connection. Maybe that's why the moon is in so much poetry, exerting her lunar influence. You're right about forests and their cleansing effect, though I'm less keen on people calling it 'forest bathing' when it's a walk and fresh air. I was supposed to be going for a big forest walk last weekend, but was too sickly so maybe that's where this came from. :)

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

What more could you ask from a website - wonderful poems, medical advice, alcohol recommendations... we have everything! smiley

This is beautiful onemore - and a perfect pick. I'm not sure where those comments are that you want removed. Are they gone now?

Hope you feel better soon xx

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks very much. And precisely, we could not ask for more. Am currently on train returning to work so no more poetry on a sofa mixing night nurse and gin cocktails for me. However, I will definitely doing that next time. I think someone may have removed my blank comment for me now. Now there's just the first one, but it doesn't matter really. Thanks for your lovely comment. x

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

First comment now gone

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hi, I now know your name but can't get out of the habit of addressing you as o.m.t.
I too shall desist from making any puns (even my daughters groan at my feeble attempts) and I am on safer grounds by congratulating you on producing such fine lines as these. I wish you a lot of success with the collection of your outstanding literary labour "Crown of Eggshell".

Best, Luigi

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Ha. Yes. But no problem, will answer to either. Thanks very much Luigi, that's very kind. OMT / Rachel :)

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Our beautiful poem of the week - well done!

Submitted by onemorething on

That's very lovely indeed, thank you. No tea tonight, will definitely have something stronger. :)