The TREE (perseverance and determination)

Rhyming Couplets formed into Quatrains to save on vertical length, in an aabb, ccdd, etc; rhyme scheme, lines of iambic tetrameter (8-counts/4 poetic feet) … in homage to the Highest Spirit in us all.

.-~==˜ The TREE˜ ==~-.

:

It stands high on that barren hill,

with limbs stretched wide, sunlight to fill.

The tree grew proud, so strong and high,

its branches reaching t'ward the sky.

.-~*~-.

The tree looked down and saw bare stone,

in silence cried, “I’m all alone;

but, I’ll face fate without a fear,

one day to find fulfillment here!”

.-~*~-.

In Springtime, skies brought gushing rain,

as storms built strong in harsh disdain.

Gales slashed the tree that had no choice,

with their wild force of vernal voice;

.-~*~-.

Then, falling ... fell down hard to earth,

on shard-strewn soil that gave it birth

The tree was broken, filled with pain;

but, struggled ... then, stood up again.

.-~*~-.

The Summer’s day produced a storm,

from tropic air, both thick and warm.

Gilt lightning flashed a jagged fire,

to strike the tree with violent ire.

.-~*~-.

Consuming flames flared hot with glee,

seared tender branches off the tree.

If not for quenching rain's downfall;

perhaps, it might have taken all.

.-~*~-.

Through Autumn's craze of frigid flak,

its limbs grew stiff to freeze and crack.

Heard Winter portent's warning spell;

deprived of leaves … again, it fell.

.-~*~-.

The tree, once sure, now filled with doubt;

for, it, this season, might die out.

Though, stripped and raw upon that hill,

it swore to life ... come on what will.

.-~*~-.

Then, Winter came with frigid snows,

the direst, yet, of savage blows.

Through splintered dread of icy hell,

felt numbing pangs in thawing's quell.

.-~*~-.

Despair engulfed like drowning sea,

to soak so deep into the tree.

Each Winter does one Spring day end;

it's then, all wounds begin to mend.

.-~*~-.

Yet, scarred from life, it lives on still;

there's newfound hope atop that hill.

The tree's known pain of loss 'n grief;

now, learned the value of each leaf.

.-~*~-.

One sunlit day in early Spring,

the tree looked down and saw this thing.

Neath gnarled, protective arms of wood …

a tender little sapling stood.

:

.-~=<†>=~-.

:

·

*

Richard W. Jenkins

~ ©1976 ~

Photo by G.Dan Mitchell

PhD WINNER

Nature Poetry Contest

Author's Note

Another long one … this, from the early archives.

Constructive critique and helpful comments are always welcomed (by anyone)! : )

Reviews

[Kathy Van Kurin]

"The TREE"
Richard,
From the text and the photograph depicting the perseverance and determination I see your theme. The picture looks like a very well established tree far along in years and still intact albeit a bitt lopsided. I like it though because many of us understand the effort to be, live, persevere and do the best we can. Your poem is all about doing the best one can.
"Then, falling....fell down hard to earth
on shard strewn soil that gave it birth
The tree was broken, filled with pain;
but, struggled....then stood up again."
This was a very meaningful poem, full of meaning for any person whom feels that they cannot go on.
Blessings,
Kathy

[Richard&#128396;]

Again, Kathy,
You perceive the very core essence of my intent, grasping the deeper, more intricate details of this poem's message.
I may surprise you, though, to know it is about me, but knowing You, it might not. : )

Thank you for gracing my page once again, gifting an humble bard such graciously rewarding favor … hugs to you, Kathy! ⁓ Richard

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Mr. Richard, your the coolest! You have a colorful heart which gives strength. In honest portrayal to others affirmation is shared.....I like It. Hugs to you Richard! Nice ending to your comment.
I hope today is a really good one.
Kathy

[Richard&#128396;]

" Big smile!"

[Eilis]

Hi, Richard. I really enjoy your extended metaphor here. Though we are talking about a tree, this cycle applies to us all. The storms of life and the living itself take a heavy toll on us, but there is always something to follow even when our time has come to an end. We all leave some sort of legacy behind.

Here, your sapling is a wonderful symbol of renewal and offers a bit of hope to temper the difficulty that led up to that point. In the beginning, all things are new and there is no telling what is to come. So, the sapling offers potential.

This is a lovely, classical piece. Nice to read some of your earlier work.

[Richard&#128396;]

Thank you, Eilis, ever-so gratefully for your visit, and for sharing your truly inspiring insights on this old poem … though, I am pleasantly surprised you chose a piece of its length to read and comment on. As you can see, it's received 1550 views and only 35 reviews.

Bless you your gracious praise, expressed understanding, and generosity … makes an olde bard's heart smile.
A Most Dazzling New Year To Thee! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Fay Slimm]

An example from nature itself and scribed quite masterfully the message that encourages us all to persevere despite manifold storms during life. The rhyme captures perfectly our need like the Tree for endurance - - thanking you Richard for sharing your earlier writings that highlight your given talent and whet our appetite for future reading enjoyment.

[Richard&#128396;]

Hi, Fay 🌸

What a lovely, thoughtful, and gratifying review you've gifted this poetic homage to life and determination to survive and persevere.

You are ever-so welcome, Dear Fay, and I thank you most gratefully for sharing this rather long-winded piece with me. 😊

With a cosy New Year hug! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Beccy]

I come back to this from time to time; such a classically written poem that I simply enjoy reading it.

Beccy.

[Richard&#128396;]

Humbled, Dear Becky,

I stand before you, hat in hand, toe brushing the floor in highest humility and joy for the ultimate praise a bard could receive from one of his very favorite readers and poetesses.

Thank you ever-so sincerely with my heart! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[poetgurl]

Wow! very poetic and creative. Love the rhyme scheme and flow as well as your words. This is very wonderful. I enjoyed your write.

[Richard&#128396;]

Thank you most sincerely, Kimmie,
Such praise and expressed appreciation, as yours, go a long way in gratifying a lucky olde bard's earnest efforts to write for an please his readers.

Bless you ever-so warmly, Dear Poetess! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Carola]

once again a great read.
this magnificent tree endures a yearly seasonal holocaust, & then even manages to spawn an offspring.... isn't nature just awesome !!! �™

[Richard&#128396;]

Yes, Nature, is Carola 🌿
Thank you most gratefully, Carola, for enduring this rather longwinded read for me, and certainly for your gratifying expressed praise and understanding.

A toast to You and Mother Nature🥂"KLINK!"
I thought you'd enjoy this one! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Shandra Sun]

I wish we can always learn from the resilience of Nature. Trees are green angels I love, for everything they are and give. I've enjoyed the flowing of your poem, travelling through the seasons of life. It is conforting to read such a beautiful piece of writing. Thank you, Richard.

[Richard&#128396;]

G'day, Lady Shandra 🌿

How wonderfully gratifying of you to select this rather lengthy poem of metaphorical homage to the human condition, by virtue by one of Nature's most staunch images … the mighty oak.
Your words in review express such depth of inner sentiment, understanding, and compassion, as-well-as, a sincere depth of appreciation for this powerfully expressive form of poetry.

I am so pleased you found such personal favor in it, too.
Thank you, too, for sharing this with me, Shandra … hugs! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[kitty]

Beyond adversity lies hope. With strength and sheer determination the will is there to carry on. When we are down there is that inner strength (Martial Arts/Boxing) that gives us a good sight of the 'prize' in the offing. We call on the Gods to give us that extra push ~ encouragement when all might seem futile. Hope I have put across my slant on this meaningful composition. This is a lesson that I have learned and which I am sure you are willing to share with your readers. Top marks Sir! Hats off to you on this one!

[Richard&#128396;]

Thank you sincerely and gratefully, Kitty 🍂

Again, your expressions in amazing insights and depths of understanding speak to me with such a sense of wonderment and meaning I cannot help but feel my efforts to write, in hopes my readers will reap the enjoyment and emotional intent I blend into my ink for them to has been realized.

Reviews, such as yours, are what keeps me inspired to share my humble efforts … big hug of many thanks, Dear Lady-Poet! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[kitty]

Your work in composing such wonderful pieces for the readers here is amazing. Makes the escape from the world of sadness and an instant relief. Thank you for your efforts to maintain our sanity midst the chaos. Man of the world with a softly romantic touch!

[CD Campbell]

This poem is one of those examples I was talking about where the iambs and the beat doesn't have to be completely perfect to have an entertaining poem. (Gales slashed/Gilt lightning for example, which read like a spondee to me. I could be wrong. I did not consult a dictionary.) I'm not a stress nazi and the idea of humming ti tum/ti tum/ti tum/ to myself makes me feel like an idiot. But reading it aloud it sounds so close to perfect if not perfect that I am going to use this as my excuse for backtracking what I said in a previous review. Hah. It did have a great flow to it and I like how you went about going through the cycle of life within each stanza. The only thing that bothers me in your poem is the use, what seems to me, archaic language to fit the meter. 'Neath, 'tward, yon, and so forth. I see why you used "tward" as it has a harder stress than "to". If you were writing for me, I would ask you to cut some of those things out as it is a personal preference, but of course you're not writing for me. All in all it is a strong work. Have a great day. CD

[Richard&#128396;]

Thanks, CD, for your insightful critique and for sharing your always interesting comments. Sorry to have taken so long to respond … teaching and offline duties often hold on to tightly.
Spondee would be STRESSED/STRESSED beats, while what you've expressed would be Trochee STRESSED/unstressed beats.
The short vowel sound of ĭ in "gilt" and the long vowel sound of ī in "lightening" make these two paired words "gilt LIGHTtning" naturally iambic, while, depending on the passionate inference/emphasis of pronunciation while reading aloud, "Gales SLASHED the TREE that HAD no Choice" would make it iambic, just as the emphasis of the short vowel sound in "HĂD" allows it to be STRESSED and the long vowel sound in "nō" allows it to be unstressed in thisinstance, although, when viewed individually and alone, "hăd" is an unstressed word and "nō" is a STRESSED word, but when read aloud with expressed passion, "Gales 'SLASHED' the TREE that HAD no CHOICE" these two words become iambically correct. Thus, the mechanics of syntax and inference in emphasis that fit the poetic voice of the moment may correctly take precedence over short (unstressed) LONG (STRESSED) vowel sounds; refined and finer understandings of iambics took me no small effort to grasp over the years, as I always considered myself a perfectionist, believing there were no reasonable exceptions to rules. Sometimes, musicality can override stringent rules in tempo/beat/rhythm/cadence, etc; and, in the manner "galesSLASHED" is expressed is an apt example of this.
I would say that whatever methodology one needs in order to grasp the challenge of iambic beat: taTUM, deDUM, lowHIGH, softHARD, skipJUMP, etc; would be a useful tool to a poet and would not make them "an idiot", anymore-so than it would make you one, until you'd developed a natural feel/sense of/for iambic tempo.
Thank you for "backtracking" on your previous comment about not enjoying the flow of metered verse (which I never believed you really meant, anyway … you're far too fine and refined a poet for that to be true), as this was (obviously) my aim in asking you to read this piece, and the Sonnet "LIFE'S SONG", as I know you know. : )
"Archaic language", as you call it is elision, a form of contraction commonly used in writing the world over now and for centuries past. Would you really want to deprive a poetess or poet of one of the most oft' used, creative poetic tools ever invented? Elisions are legitimate words as much as "I'm, can't, aren't, they're, 'tis, you're, etc; are.
Truth is, despite that you think I am not writing for you, I am. I write almost exclusively in a combination of self-expression and release of creativity, always with the conscious thought in mind that I want whatever I share to be enjoyed by everyone, and if "everyone" is not possible, then, as many as can and will.
I very much write for you, My Friend, in hopes you'll get something enjoyable and meaningful from my style … knowing all the time there will be pieces you love as well-as though you'll not, but I do my utmost for you, nonetheless, and am amply rewarded and gratified by anything you take a liking to … that is my only genuine gratuity, after-all.

Bless you and thank you, My Thoughtful, Keen-minded Friend and Fine Poet! ⁓ Richard : )

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Beautiful poem. Your work is always edifying and beautiful to the soul.

[Richard&#128396;]

Aw,
You put a sweet cherry on top.

Yum! ; )