One fall when leaves were gone the clearings came. Those worth the haul were taken, but the rest would have to carry on. As if a flame had come to burn this forest’s ancient best, the parent trees, the wisdom they possessed, the ground turned bare as youthful family trees preserved their hold on Earth tenaciously.
Linked to dVerse Meeting the Bar with Bjorn hosting on the theme of silence. I formatted the Chaucerian stanza as prose to highlight where I would expect a reader to enjoy the silence. I use line breaks to mark the completion of metrical patterns not to indicate silence although sometimes I run out of breath and need to pause before I carry on.
Photo: “Thinning” by the author.
Poetry, Short Prose and Walking 
Frank, so much emotion here- I love the line- the parent trees, the wisdom they possessed. So beautiful!
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Thank you, Linda!
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My pleasure.
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Wonderful writing, Frank! The irony of this post is that you did not record it. I concur with your choice, as you gave us a visual. Love the patterns in the photo!
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I almost recorded it, but we had guests. I see that many others made recordings. I prefer hearing poems to reading them. Thanks, Jilly!
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I appreciate the irony (intended or otherwise) of your title. At least the family tree you depict in words has an apparent order. I like the way you highlighted the breaths.
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The breaths for me are just the normal ones for prose. There is a sort of irony in the title. I do see the trees as families also. Thanks, Charley!
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You are welcome!
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“The forest’s ancient best”–that’s a fine phrase that caused me to pause a moment to let it sink in. Well done!
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It is harder for me to say as well. I am glad you enjoyed that phrase. Thanks, Jeff!
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This poem reads so beautifully, Frank, it’s like a waterfall. I read it over a few times, out loud worked really well and I like how you highlighted the pauses. Lovely work!
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Thank you, Diana! I am glad you like how it sounded and that it flowed well.
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I love the ancient trees making way for the youthful trees. And I did pause for silent thought as I read it.
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The younger ones will continue and prosper. Thank you, Mary!
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Frank, this is exceptional. I loved all of this. I didn’t get a photo though. But it really doesn’t need one. your words and your accenting the silences are perfect.
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The poems don’t need photos, but I like putting a photo with the poem. Sometimes they don’t match as well as I might like. Thanks, Toni!
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Trees can have profound silences. The photo really reinforces the words. (K)
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I am glad you liked the photo as well. Thank you!
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You breaks worked very well Frank. I enjoyed how you show the cycle of life in the forest. Trees don’t stay gone long where conditions are right for growth.
Dwight
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They will survive. Thank you, Dwight!
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I enjoyed the topic of your poem. This was clever and well done. Growth comes in many ways and unfortunately some we lose in the journey.
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Some we lose in the journey, but the journey continues. Thank you!
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Love how you showed how close poetry and prose can be… and yes, those breaths work very well, and the punctuation is perfect.
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Thank you, Bjorn! One could format a poem like prose. If one is only hearing it, it doesn’t matter how it is formatted.
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If only trees could share their wisdom.
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I think they do with other trees, or so I’ve heard. We may be able to tap into some of that. Thanks, Dan!
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Wonderfully done!!
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Thank you, Annell!
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What a great play with the form and with your evaluation of silences. Quite significant.
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Thank you, Victoria!
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Profound…with each reading it is getting deeper with killing silence….
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Thank you, Sreeja!
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Initially, I was sad to see they had been chopped but then I wonder if they have a new lease of life somewhere.
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It is not a disaster. Thank you, Alison!
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Love the personification here of older trees holding wisdom
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I think they do. Thank you, Bryan!
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A beautiful but sad description, Frank.
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Thank you, Robbie! It is sad. They will survive.
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My gosh! Frank. Your depiction of trees strikingly deep and honest. I miss reading your work. 🙂
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Thank you, Charlie!
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You welcome Frank.
I am back! and posted something new. 🙂
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ConCeNtric RinGS
oF HearTH A Tree’S
HistorY CuT
A CorD
oF WooD
iN tWo
STuMP
ReMaiNS WHoLE
HisToRY’S AGE ReCoVeRED..:)
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Those rings tell its history. Thanks, Fred!
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And i
Love it
When
A New Tree
Sprouts
From
The Base
Of the HiStory
oF A
Tree
As
AnotHeR
Twig.. NoW..:)
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Me, too!
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