Saturday, November 17, 2007

Battles Past

It'll be a new picture after first snow cover. But now: a Montana memory.
Or maybe North Dakota. Last week's road trip ended on Sunday, and a visit to a long, narrow and surreal place is recalled--in fact and imagination.
Driving is an altered state, and I see in new ways.

Battles Past
Stark beauty in this lone, dead tree
When fall of three or five years past
Released last leaves of summer's dream.
Now shadow cast in spindle ribs
Its trunk still bold yet barren of its armor coat
White ghost, now free
From bark of battles lost
And littered at its feet
Past robes are shed and show
In each noon light.
This spirit of ancient arbor stands
On field of reverie.
Lone, dead tree recalls
All autumn-colored dreams
In some ten thousand scattered seeds.

3 comments:

  1. Living is an altered state - I see in new ways in every moment :-) - Thank you for this Poignant message that there is always more then meets the human vision and to embrace the beauty of our deeper knowing when we take the time to move with our inner divine source.
    :-)
    Roweena

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  2. Ardi.

    Just read this poem.
    Wonder if - at some level - it was about Rose.
    I especially enjoyed Growing Rose at the end of your eulogy.
    Thanks,

    Robert

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  3. Thank you, e, k & r. About Rose?? I hadn't thought of this one as being about her. But I guess the universe had a message. Through the tree and its life past, some honor to Rose was relayed before her passing. A foretelling of a life released and glory recorded.

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