The Old Oak Chair

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 26 Jul 2016
  • 5677 reads
13 comments
 

Beneath the surface
of the old oak chair,
a little maggot nibbled, chewed
a tiny tunnel there.

For years the maggot grew,
the tunnels lengthened well,
but then, one day, it felt mature
and chewed a wider cell.

There, just inside, it slept
to change its shape, transform –            
become a beetle brown, no more
a white and grub-by ‘worm’.

It woke and cut a hole
out through into the air –
a tell-tale round, distinctive mark
left saw-dust on the chair.

It mated soon, and eggs
were laid inside a crack
upon the wooden chair, to hatch,
extending the attack …

And when the chair collapsed,
they broke it up to show,
the hidden, tunnelled maze
of subways down below.

[IP: beneath the surface]

 

 

Certificate U
Poem
Nature
Nature
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by seashore on

A nice take on the ip - particularly like the idea of 'the hidden tunnelled maze of subways down below'...

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, I enjoyed thinking about those lines too! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks for cherries. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

This is so cleverly written Rhiannon. Well deserved of cherries too.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Jenny. The ideas were all of a shambles, when they first came into my head, but it was nice to see it settling down with a flow! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Oh I really enjoyed this! The description is gorgeous, metre is perfect and could be read in so many different ways.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, thanks, l-c! As I said above to Jenny, it was nice to see the metre settling down, and improving the content and clarity at the same time. I suppose these things always have metaphoric triggers. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Rhiannon

This chair poem brings back memories  of rockers,  of childhood. I don't think we got woodworm though.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanksk, Jean. Nice memories! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

A clever and well-rhymed interpretation of the I.P., Rhiannon, and with subtle metaphoric undertones.
Good to see originality suitably rewarded.

Luigi x

 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Luigi, glad you enjoyed. At the time of writing I wasn't particularly thinking of the metaphoric side, though the phrase, and its physical pictures always brings such to mind. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on

A lovely poem, very readable gentle rhyme and rythm on a perfect take on the IP. Well deserved cherries.

Linda

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Linda, glad you enjoyed, and appreciate your comment.

I don't know if you noticed I put something on the 'competition' notice in response to your query about how to post as 'comp entry'. I remembered from last time that it's hidden under 'flags' not 'genre' Rhiannon