The Tree that Wouldn't Shut Up!

I hated to pass the talking tree,

It made me feel all undone,

Raveling on in its revery

Like a racquet, coming unstrung,

What made it worse was the silken voice

Not matching a stringybark’s,

If I’d been offered a simple choice

I’d rather the voice was harsh.

It tried to attract my attention there

Each time I ventured to pass,

‘What are you going to do, just stare?’

It said, ‘Well, kiss my a*s!’

It always tried to embarrass me

By being uncouth, and loose,

I said, ‘You’re surely the rudest tree,

We haven’t been introduced.’

It quoted Coleridge by the ream

Whenever I wore my hat,

‘A painted ship on a painted sea,

Now what do you think of that?’

‘I don’t know where you borrowed that line

I said, I have no notion, it’s

“As idle as a painted ship

Upon a painted ocean!”’

It used to sulk when it got it wrong

To wave its trunk with a clatter,

‘Who’d believe,’ it would say to me,

‘That getting it right would matter?’

‘I think He would, old S.T.C.

Would listen, hear, and note it,

Nor be impressed that a talking tree

Would get it wrong, and quote it.’

I turned up there with a saw one day

And the talking tree had cried,

‘I say, I’m not going to cut you down,’

I said, but it knew I lied.

For‘April is the cruellest month,’

I said, and I wasn’t kidding,

I saw through its Eliot, silenced its Pound

And cut off its Little Gidding.

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Barbz]

"Friendship is a sheltering tree" is a quote from Poet S.T.C. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge). That is the reason that I found this poem so interesting. It just goes to show that even good friends can curse you and should and must be stilled. I really enjoyed this loud message in your quiet voice. One can relate to this great work on many levels. keep up the great work...Barbz

[Einstein Noodle]

hmmmmmmm the talking tree ...next to the babbling brook eh!? :) pity that ones destination forces the passing by ... where silken tongues and the ruse of harshness lay in wait ... the Masters never fail ...their gifts barely equaled if at all ... we do try tho eh! ... and such a large bag of tricks to expand on ..really like this walk along the lane sir! with a wealth of knowledge and background cutting that trees Little Gidding off was just the right thing to do ... one doesn't want to throw the baby out with the wash water :}
E.

[E G TEN]

Hello Mr. Paget, ah' the good ole tree, what would we
We do with out them huh? I love your metaphors and
References to the great STC, quite an artist he is,
Same as you Sir. Again with your ending,,, awesome!
Very Cool Narrative, thanks for the send. EG

[Valentine]

I have run into some crass people that I wouldn't mind putting in their place...but never a tree. Clever idea for a write. Valentine

[richieb]

David, enjoyed this poem very much. Very clever, now days my tolerance runs shallow with sarcastic simpletons in people if tree's were the same I'd completely go over the edge.

[Solar]

What a mystery this tree is !

And in another they come and go....Little Gidding a goner.

[andrew mitchell]

hahaha a tall tree tale it is! I read that one tree supplies oxygen for 4 humans. That's not a lot hence the need for more trees. An interesting angle on a tree that spoke. Thank God they don't speak, we would all be murderers!