THE OLD OAK TREE

yours to discover

I was walking along

for quite some time

when I became weary

Sat down beside a very old

oak tree to rest awhile

My eyes started getting heavy

so I thought I would have a sleep

When I heard 

a very deep but old sounding voice

Was I dreaming

this can not be so

I'm still awake; I think!

"Listen young man,

I have a story to tell you

It goes back many years

and you are not the first I've told

But few have listened

You have been granted the choice

to or not to."

But where was the voice coming from?

I looked too and fro

but didn't see a soul in sight

So I sat there content to listen

to what the old story was about.

"You need not worry young lad

your in good arms,

for I have many."

I sat somewhat puzzled

but intent on hearing the story

"As you have already guessed 

I'm old this you can be sure;

my story I have told countless times

to many young and old

There is a time coming they say

when it may be to late for never

to hear my story again

But you seem bright enough

to understand

You have learmed many things

I can tell by the look in your eyes

and now you will learn more

I grew from a young sap

learning much riches;

a storehouse full of wisdom to be sure.

Tell me young man;

have you ever watched a leaf fall to the ground

I mean really watched and listened?

Have you ever watched the clouds dance

to a many imagined shape?

Have you watched the blades of grass

stand at attention in the early morning dew?

Have you ever watched the rose

with its tantilizing beauty and fragrance

melt the strongest of beasts?

Have you ever watched the gentleness

of a butterfly land on a rain drop?

Have you ever watched the raging sea

smash off the rocks to smoothly go back

from once it came?

Have you ever watched the magnificent display

of the tiny ants gather to build their colony?

Have you heard the beautiful songs of the birds

singing to mother earth?

Do you know what a mountain says

to the sky?

Do you know how much dirt an earthworm eats

to replenish the ground for new growth?

Do you know how many rocks it takes

to see the beauty of one?

How many tears does it take the sky

to create a river for fish to swim?

How many forests need to be destroyed

before its beauty is seen?

Do the animals play at night to feel safe

from the beasts of the day?

A creation of an artificial world is what I can see,

an illusion of true beauty

which has always been here

before the beginning of time

This must stop

before it is all lost in forgotten memories

This is my story;

I have told you my story

of the wonders of creation

Now Go --------

Create youe own story

for all to hear

of the beauty that is here."

With those last words I heard

I stood up and hugged the old oak tree

and saw its true beauty

As I walked away thinking of what I heard,

I glanced back at that old oak tree

and it seemed as though a smile

formed on its face.

Author's Note

contact me at: [email protected]
or
visit us at Ravenscraft Studios
https://ravenscraftstudios.weebly.com

Reviews

[sette]

have you ever watched a leaf fall to the ground
I mean really watched and listened?
Have you ever watched the clouds dance
to a many imagined shape?
Have you watched the blades of grass
stand at attention in the early morning dew?
Have you ever watched the rose
with its tantilizing beauty and fragrance
melt the strongest of beasts? i was honestly startled by this because I haven't really seen, really see those things, they are just what I usually pass by or ignore because it happens naturally, but reading your poem made me realize the value it gives, the message it tries to emit.. the beauty of nature is unique, have to appreciate and take care the best that you can. thanks it has been an eye-opener

[RW Erskine]

sometimes we just need to stop, breath it in to feel our aliveness.
Thank you my friend, that was my intention with it, 'an eye opener'

[sette]

you are very much welcome my friend, i haven't visited the site yet backlog of work

[RW Erskine]

I know what you mean

[sette]

thanks for understanding

[barleygirl]

A beautiful ode to a tree hugger! I love oak trees, which are the most prevalent trees around here. I love the way you start out in an intriguing way, we feel like we are hanging on every word, to find out what this tree may have to impart. To be truthful, the lead-in of the 6th stanza was a little too drawn out for me & I felt your message really started to sing when the questioning started. Amazing questioning! So much imagination in the way you word the questions as if to imply the answers, but still making the reader think. I love the way your poem seems to end on a melancholy note as if to be a warning about the way we are treating our planet. All in all, very imaginative & thought-provoking & artfully done! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[RW Erskine]

You got the very jest of what I was saying, and the way I was unfolding it to the reader.
thank you Margie, always a pleasure to see you my friend. ((HUGS)) right back at you.

[ThistoShallPass]

I really appreciate this, as I have often placed my hand on a tree and tried to hear it speak. Trees carry the scars and stories of this earth for us, if we are willing to understand, we can learn from them. My favorite line was "Do you know how much dirt an earthworm eats
to replenish the ground for new growth?
We are all interconnected.

[RW Erskine]

that we are my friend,
the trees will tell human kinds history,
thank you for your insightful words

[Corset]

What a magnificent piece.

[RW Erskine]

thank you my friend

[Jon Roggie]

I will start by saying there are some obvious grammatical errors,
but when you feel the words,
I tend not to notice.

For me this is noticing the world around you,
and I mean the little things.

Have you ever watched the hummingbirds in the rain?
Drops forming on their feathers,
while they feed before an evening's sleep?
I love the flow of this,
and excuse me if part of the review sounds like an echo of your words.

[RW Erskine]

'obvious grammatical errors',
its free expression which follows no rules, nor does it live in a box.
What is grammar anyway, someone else's idea of how something is supposed to be written . Thank you for coming by Jon

[Jon Roggie]

Write it like you want!
The technical stuff is a pain.

[RW Erskine]

of course I will,
technical stuff be damned

[Coyote Poetry]

Wonderful and true words shared.
have you ever watched a leaf fall to the ground
I mean really watched and listened?
Have you ever watched the clouds dance
to a many imagined shape?
"Have you watched the blades of grass
stand at attention in the early morning dew?
Have you ever watched the rose
with its tantilizing beauty and fragrance
melt the strongest of beasts?"
Great wisdom in the above words. With youth. We were always running. In old age. We ensure we enjoy every seconds of the good days. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[RW Erskine]

this is true
thank you my friend,
always a pleasure to hear from you

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed this one and you are welcome my friend.

[Cherrie]

Your story has a Native American feel to it
I like how you have presented your wise old tree.

[RW Erskine]

thank you Cherrie

[Cherrie]

Your welcome, I really enjoyed your story. You have captured my imagination with this tale

[H L Rose]

I’m in love with the trees description of such specific images in nature.

“Have you watched the blades of grass/ stand at attention in the early morning dew?”

I think these are my favorite lines, but I also like the part right after it,

“Have you ever watched the rose/ with its tantilizing beauty and fragrance/ melt the strongest of beasts?”

I would expect to get bored after so much description, but I enjoyed every part of it.

I thought the last stanza was good as it offered a somewhat strange image of a person hugging a tree(I can’t help but see the literal description of a “tree-hugger” here) and I think a strange image like that fits to further personify the tree...if that makes any sense.

I’ll admit that I think the speaker repeated that he wants to hear the story in the fifth stanza seemed a little redundant.
Also, although I think the word “story” doesn’t have to be used very literally, the trees description of the to-be-told “story” in the second stanza made me expect an actual narrative so I got thrown off by there not really being one.

That being said, I don’t really know what I’m talking about, and am a complete amateur in writing so don’t heed my critiques much.

I’m biased to trees in general so it being centered around a tree is enough to make me like the story, but I really did like the sentiment and the language you used.

I enjoyed the read!

[RW Erskine]

got you to think, and that was its point.
You got thrown off did you, kept you engaged and thinking still.
He wants to hear the story but is a bit unsure what to make of it all.
Have you ever hugged a tree? I have.
Its an energy exchange.
I thank you very much for your take on it, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[H L Rose]

Of course! I loved reading it.

Not sure about hugged, but I’ve climbed them plenty, and there is definitely a special feeling to get from that.

[RW Erskine]

that there is my friend, even just sitting under one