Testament

a ghostly encounter:)

Testament

 

You flourished,

within the constrain,

of a concrete sidewalk.

Malnourished,

twisted, gnarled remains

a stump headstone mocks;

testament,

to your lofty defiance.

Once eclipsed,

by the structural… indifference

of societal progress.

I cannot help,

But feel,

A kinship,

As I see…

you’re ghostly outstretched branches,

reaching…

to drink the light;

As it seems…

I am forever,

trying to do.

I hear,

the spectral sound,

of the breeze,

creaking your tired limbs;

As this old poet

walks by…

joints grinding,

in a sympathetic note.

and the faint hiss,

of the swaying leaves…

of your shadowy canopy.

And I hear the rustle,

of your lost intentions…

drifting on the sidewalk;

like so many scrawls,

I penned,

reduced to dust…

in the decay of time.

But, this poet…

still sees you.

 

© 2022 Robert Trakofler

Author's Note

Robert · Testament

Reviews

[Kelly Scheppers]

Hey Robert, how are you? It's been a while since I've read you, but you've overwhelmingly made up for lost time. I wholeheartedly agree with everyone here, this by far eclipses anything you've ever written. What a pleasure it is to be among such caliber of writing!

[Robert Trakofler]

Kelly:) it's so nice to hear from you! I manage to put pen to paper a little more often these days (and to read) I'm definitely not as prolific as i once was but I think I've gotten more picky in my old age LOL:/

[Tate Morgan]

Your finest work so far. Well done

[Robert Trakofler]

Tate how nice to see you:) thank you for the nice compliment!

[Tate Morgan]

You’re welcome

[Carola]

hi robert, to me this reads as an emotional poem of an old tree that once was & maybe its similarities to old age.
hope my understanding is how you wanted people to interpret your poem, I'm not always good with understanding esoteric writing, I'm a straight narrative style writer,
cheerio carola

[Patricia]

this is terrific writing! I really enjoyed this piece. It reminds me of Charles Bukowski's writing and he is a favorite of mine among others but yes, similar but you have your own flair. The piece is haunting in your comparison of aging to an old stump, which by the way is so original and one can easily feel the emotion in the written words. Even the strongest of us will weaken with time and will be cut down by it and decay. This is very, very good! You get all the points from me and in my library :)

[Robert Trakofler]

Hi Patricia:) So sorry I took so long to respond I am still in recovery mode and keeping my store open LOL I get tired very easily these days but I am getting much better:)

[Patricia]

that is quite understandable and I too have been crazy busy and behind in my responses as well. And you are welcome. Be well and God bless.

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Wow i interpret this to be a tree which is a testament to its resolute willpower to survive all odds and tempests, it still drinking of the light despite being felled, you have depicted it awesomely with fab muse inking. Kudos!!

Plz also check out my two newest poems and then pleez comment on one of these two poems that you prefer. Thanks

[John the Baptist]

Mortality is ever with us, as we are reminded by the passing years. Sometimes the environment gives us reminders, too, as in this offering. The speaker, a poet, notes the place where a tree formerly stood. All that remains now is the stump, surrounded by concrete. The speaker contemplates the tree's "lost intentions," and likens them to his poems, now "lost to dust." It's the way of the world, but the important thing is that we took the time to write the poems, and in so doing, affirmed life.

[Robert Trakofler]

you, my friend, are all that and more!

[Relic]

You should get an award for this one, Robert. It shows emotion and comparison to the human condition. I could listen to this all day.
Excellent writing.

[Robert Trakofler]

hello old friend, thank you for stopping by:) This old poet appreciates it, it is, still nice to be able to write and be inspired

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

But, this poet…
still sees you.“
Yes, I see you too and belatedly welcome you back dear RBB! I hope your health is much better. I have missed you much.
Your amazing poetic testament to survivors- in nature and in humankind, despite negative odds, resonates with me and touches my heart deeply. Your elegant language, lyrical lines, vivid imagery, metaphors, melancholy tone and flow with dramatic pauses, is riveting, memorable, purely RBB at more than best. I applaud your poetic mastery and voice. You are, as ever, Master Class my friend. Saving this poem!

[Robert Trakofler]

Hello dear Annette, I can't tell you just how much your review made me smile:) It is good to be back to writing and it is even better to be inspired to write. I am doing much better healthwise tho I do admit that in one way or another I have been dealing with pain ever since returning from rehab. I do not let it get me down I just keep slogging on LOL

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Hello! Hello! Hello Robert! So grateful to have you back and writing at your Master Class best. So great to see your face. Keep “slogging” on, yet at a slower pace when your body & heart tell you to. I’m slogging along with you at my snail’s pace. Snails are vastly underrated!:))

[Chris Shaw]

A felled tree, what a tragedy. Your posted image Bunny certainly generates much thought. I am a huge tree lover and hugger so I very much admire this piece. I too relate to this tree and I love what you have shared here in this composition. A fine write and dear Bunny it is especially good to see a post from you. Hope your health is improving.

Chris

[Robert Trakofler]

we poets are not so different from a tree.. certainly less opulent we observe and revel in the light and beauty of all that surrounds us we struggle in the winter and flourish in the spring and dance in the summer and weep in the fall

[Chris Shaw]

We do all of those Bunny :)

[lightsong]

Good Morning Dearest 🌷

I see You've made few changes, specially the last two lines, perfect! They addeded what was missing and I didn't want it to end sad.

You always find something unique not only to write about it, but also to embody it, this reflects deeply your situation at the moment, though as I've told You in the email, You don't have to forever trying to reach the light, You are already Light itself :>

Sensetive and emotive, reminds me with our flower of our Greater Power poem. Sorry I wasn't the first to read and review, but here I am with a warm and big smile*

How nice to wake up to your voice 💕

[Robert Trakofler]

each leaf that drank the sun and gave sustenance to the tree had its time of glory and sang in the chorus of reverence and joy like the little scrawls you and I pen they eventually fall and drop to the earth and eventually decay and disappear but not before feeding the soil and souls of the ones who touch them:)

[lightsong]

You see,

You already have a new poem considering your rich comment here.

[Coyote Poetry]

Yes we do my friend.
"you’re ghostly outstretched branches,
reaching…
to drink the light;"
We are sort of ghost today. Touching people life and never touching hands. Thank you Robert for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Robert Trakofler]

Hi Coyote, thanks for stopping by:) I saw that tree stump and looked at how its roots fought so hard to push thru the surrounding concrete so it could survive in a hostile constricting environment and i couldnt help but feel a kinship

[Coyote Poetry]

i enjoyed your work and you are welcome.