Pleasant Tree

Pleasant Tree

(Ekphrastic Poem)

 

Standing lone

At the bluest water’s edge,

Bemoaned of times past.

Still standing tall,

Your leaves a luscious green,

Which sway in the gentlest breeze.

The sun shines marvelously on you.

How rain droplets must sparkle upon your greens!

Pleasant Tree, your branches ever strong,

Like arms having been frozen in time…

Never budging from your destined place.

Do birds find shelter in you?

A swing hangs from your limb,

Ever so still.

How long since someone visited,

And swung high?

Has it been years?

Or has someone recently graced

Your shady wings?

Do you miss someone’s stories?

Pleasant Tree, are you indeed lonely?

Though your leaves still offer shade,

None is there to enjoy.

The sky blue as the water

Which nourishes you,

Looks down on you and smiles

By way of white fluffy clouds

The water indeed is aware of your presence.

Little flowers of pink and yellow

Have sprouted above the earth,

Dotting the grass before you.

No, Pleasant Tree, you’re not lonely,

For you have all you need.

Birds flock to you for a resting place.

Water to refresh you.

The sun and sky to stay you.

The little flowers to assure you,

And the smallest of breezes

To set the swing into motion.

                             

Melinda McQueen Rodgers      

September 15, 2021

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I love the poetry dear Melinda.
"For you have all you need.
Birds flock to you for a resting place.
Water to refresh you.
The sun and sky to stay you.
The little flowers to assure you,
And the smallest of breezes
To set the swing into motion."
The above lines are magic and true. Thank you dear poet for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Melinda McQueen]

Thank you.

And thank you for serving (failed to say so in other post!)

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome my dear friend.

[barleygirl]

Your poem is whimsical & lyrical, personifying the tree and bringing it to life. Lots of readers & writers love a simply-stated poem like this. But since you read-request me, I take it as my duty to make a few suggestions. I feel that overuse of the primary colors is a little lazy. There's a huge box of crayons in this world, so why not reach & find some intriguing color words? Another thing is to pick more lively verbs to make your descriptions dynamic. "Do birds find shelter in you?" Think of how vague & staid the word "shelter" is. Why not have the birds communing or frolicking or cavorting or singing? Or your final line . . . this is stated in a static passive way: set into motion. Why not liven this up with the swing doing somersaults of joy or doing a jig with a robin in midair? Your poem is perfect the way it is and these are just ideas to liven up your future writings (((HUGS)))

[Melinda McQueen]

Thank you for this, I like this input. It inspires me to dig deep.

[Chris Shaw]

What beautiful thoughts you have about a tree. They are certainly friends to me. I love the image you have chosen Melinda to accompany your lines. Just lovely.

Chris

[Melinda McQueen]

Thank you for reading my words.