Tuesday 29 September 2020

Friday 25 September 2020

the story of a tree

 

Once there was a tree, planted to commemorate the arrival of a new life to this world. And it grew and it grew.

It grew so big it went over the wall to the churchyard next door. Each year it blossomed. Then the rain poured down and the wind whipped a gale. The tree split. Its roots began to rise from the ground.

  

Poor tree. It had to come down before it fell. One man climbed up, higher and higher into the branches. Ropes were attached and the chain-saw ripped into life.


 

 
 
The team of men sweated in the blistering heat as they worked on. Branches were cut, slender boughs shredded.





They worked until the tree was down and the next day we lifted heavy trunk rings across the churchyard wall. The stump-grinder came . We dug out the roots and planted another tree.

The old wood will not be wasted. A young man came round to chop it into logs. It will keep us warm as we wait for the new tree to grow.


Wednesday 23 September 2020

entropy


 

 
 carry me crowned
past autumn's waiting belly
ringed with burnished leaves
and seed-heads
ready to spill
upon the cooling soil

carry me to the river
and lay my head by the water
so the weeds may rise and enfold me
in their green mantle

carry me across
to where my winter queen
lies