Sunday, March 29, 2015

Uprooted





Uprooted 

He had a plan the little one
into his pack he stuffed a root
prised from the tumbled tree
they had cut – men in boots
shouts of “timber” laughter
in their voices as he shivering
at his bedroom window heard
Heaven growl – no sense asking
“why?” from the Tall Ones they’d
only turn a tepid patronizing smile
He watched the tree fall, the booted
thugs get into their truck and leave
in the early morning light and in bare
cold feet in hot heart-burst he raced
somehow silently through kitchen door
and tenderly untangled a single
tendriled root
He had a plan
to travel far to
a place of sun
and gentle rain
and on a hill he
would plant his
tree and wait for
green shoots to
spring in rows
of mending as
he healed and
grew to grown


35 comments:

  1. Lovely writing, Pearl. I am happy that even just one root was saved, and I do hope that it will have freedom to grow and thrive in its new sunny hillside location.

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    1. Sometimes all one needs is the hope of future sun. Thank you Mary.

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  2. Exquisite work! Truly inspiring :)
    xoxo

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    1. Thank you Sanaa - to be inspiring is indeed a fantastically moving comment!

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  3. Sometimes we have to uproot in order to plant and rebuild what is real and authentic to us...thoughtful write as ever Pearl

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  4. I think if just more could have this passion for saving those tender roots, the world would turn to a better world.

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    1. Yes, perhaps if more care were given to the tender roots the world would grow differently. <3 Thank you - your work today was brilliant.

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  5. lovely :) it would be very meditative to do that.

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  6. How sad to think of cutting trees, Pearl. But, that one small act of saving has saved a thousand more for sure. A wonderful, insightful poem you shared today. Thank you!

    - ksm

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  7. "shouts of “timber” laughter' the expression truly paints those soulless killers...

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    1. I am thrilled that you caught that line in the soulessness intended . Thank you so very much.

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  8. I, too, was grateful that one root would survive. I love the shape of this poem very much.

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    1. I am not much for concrete poems and yet the last few have wanted to shape themselves - unclear what little imp is playing with my words ... Thank you Sherry.

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  9. Being uprooted, can lead to great growth, even from a single, thin tendril. Winding its way toward renewal, rebirth, where it thrives and lingers.

    As an Canadian expat, I really related to this, Pearl!

    Beautiful!

    Poppy

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    1. Oh Poppy I am delighted that you related - since I am thoroughly delighted with you, your environment and your writing brought to light this week through Sherry's interview. Thank you!

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  10. Once again I am brought to my knees on my visit here...the flow of the poem, the visual it makes in the shape of the words and the meaning behind them....'cold feet in hot heart-burst he raced' Tears flow as I race with him and hope his tree does indeed grow because he is the only smart one, the one who truly cares from his heart.

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    1. Oh my goodness Donna - such high praise leaves me feeling unworthy. Thank you.

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  11. new beginnings personified here. an inspiring read, Pearl.

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  12. Healed and grew to grown... tree and man. Great analogy.

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  13. How important it is to educate our children not only on the value of trees but all other things that sustain the earth and us too.

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  14. As always ...a treat to visit and read your writing.
    ZQ

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    1. Thank you so very much R.K. - always an honor to have a comment from you!

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  15. Hi, glad to see you at Real Toads, happy to read you ... incisive moment here, cutting into a child's awareness of how adults tear into the big sweet world, perhaps too how growing up is necessarily part of that uprooting. The tree-shape of language is pretty but wasn't really necessary for me. Good work!

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    1. Thank you - and I agree about the shape - not my signature by any means - lately some words have been playfully falling into such lines...

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  16. This is really gorgeous, with such clever and wonderful word choices, and so cutting, really. Hah. It evokes a reaction, about the loss of innocence in the experience of this action. Really wonderful.

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  17. Change and uprooting does produce growth in life....this is so filled with hope Pearl...I love it!

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  18. Poignant expression, So beautifully penned. Hope is the one!

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  19. Poignant...a lovely lead-in to spring with its message...planting the seeds of renewal..

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