Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Old Oak

His forest now a park,
Old oak stands broad and tall.

Boy sprawling amongst twisted oak roots,
Daydreaming and mind playing.

Youth, haunch squatting, amidst twisted oak roots,
Absconding lessons, smoking stolen cigarettes.

Young man loitering around twisted oak roots,
Awaiting assignation with potential lover.

Father leaning, back to trunk, feet on twisted oak roots,
Watching his family at play.

Old man standing, staring at twisted oak roots,
Flashing glimpses of times past, rolling through befuddled mind.

A fond tear falls from cheek, to feed twisted oak roots.
Old man wanders on, half smile hanging from sagging flesh.

Boy sprawling amongst twisted oak roots,
Daydreaming and mind playing.

Old oak watches another generation flash past,
His forest now a park.

6 comments:

miss magic said...

such a great poem! so sweet! :D

Drizel said...

I like the two line story effect.
Thats why I say I don't wanna get old, you see so much! Loose even more....once again lovely!

Jay said...

Hmm...I think I actually feel bad for an oak.

Steve Isham said...

The older I get the richer I am. Not in 'stuff'. Stuff is only grease for the wheels. My wealth accumulates in people I know and love. Relationships cultivated over time -- gold beyond measure. And it also takes time to really appreciate an oak. :-)

Russell CJ Duffy said...

wish i could be a park.
verdant and long lasting

Inconsequential said...

CJ - parks are so transient, be a mountain, much more durable and solid too :)

Ish - I'm not sure you'll ever get old, one day your body will fail, but your mind will still be sharp and young. Well, that's impression I get...

Jay - don't feel bad, the tree lived on...and on...and on...ok, maybe not so happy for the tree...

Simon - So do I, and sycamores :)
and I quite like apple trees too.

Etain - I think Ish said it well :)
You don't loose much unless your mind goes, and then you don't really know it...i hope...and when you die, well, it's the ones left that loose - you move on, or whatever, dependant upon your beliefs, well, you get to find out if you move on...not the time or place to voice my concerns over that issue :)

Miss Magic - Thank you, I was aiming more for poignant, but sweet will do just as well :)