Lynching Tree

Self explanitory I hope

A young couple swung from my old tired limbs.

Laughter brifted through my leafs.

bringing me sweet relief.

 

Little did they know

so many years ago.

A diffrent ride was taken.

the meaning can not be mistaken.

 

My strong arms brought death.

it rung out the last of their breath.

 

For color was the concern of the century.

 

I stood alone in a valley of grass.

by day children did climb

by night I took witness to their crime.

 

Inmoveable, I was forced to watch

As the rope they did notch

and rage pressed the deathwatch.

 

Their weight I did have to bare,

only adding to the nightmare.

 

The dying would struggle against me

My foliage would fall like tears

as the finally rested limply.

 

The scars still etched themselfs into my skin.

As I watched humankind

murder their blood kin.

 

As years passed

and my limbs sagged downcast

the hard times I did surpass.

 

No longer harassed,

I watch the season pass

My leaves change color

 

Orange or yellow

maybe even negro

They rest in one giant pillow

at my feet.

Reviews

[reflectingus]

This is simply stunning. They way you managed to bring out the cold hard truth of life, merely by personifying a tree. A tree that bared witness, and sagged with all of lives burdens, still attempting to recover, and times are changing. Your poem is an eye-opener, well done.

[Tabitha t]

Thank you! This is my favorite

[Jo March]

This is brilliant. Absolute. Amazing. So painfully poignant. I love 'For color was the concern of the century.' then it is juxtaposed with the fleeting changing colour of the leaves.
How silly society can be.

[Tabitha t]

thank you!

[John Jackson (El Juero)]

Brilliant perspective. The use of the word 'Negro' was jarring to me, for some reason. So many gone...

[Tabitha t]

it was meant to shock, but not in an offensive way. It was emant to be a r=very raw and in your face poem. cant get away from what happened kind of thing.

[John Jackson (El Juero)]

I was not offended, and your your had the desired effect. Truly excellent work.

[Tabitha t]

Thank you I appreciate it

[Danielle]

So very beautiful, this poem touched my heart! There is no excuse for racism from any race, we are all God's children.

[Heather]

Wonderful
Such powerful words grasped my attention

[Aarontastic]

Wow, I loved this poem! It's dark and tragic of course; it reminds me of a song about lynching called "strange fruit" that is kind of similar. Writing about this horrifying act from the tree's perspective was a great idea. It underscores the sadness of the whole thing, because the crime was so awful it left an indelible mark upon nature. That poor tree was traumatized :( It might sound silly at first, but I really felt badly for it - because in a way, it was violated and wronged too. It's interesting how you managed to personify it, giving it the aura of an old, respectable person who is happy with how things are now, but compelled to look back on what it had to bear witness to before.

So many beautiful lines, too: "my foliage would fall like tears", "as I watched humankind murder their blood kin", etc. They emanate a quiet intensity. And the ending stanza closes it out on the perfect cadence, after the word 'negro' lands like a ton of bricks after the natural colors of orange and yellow. Very nice.

[Tabitha t]

thank you for putting so much thought into my peom. I dont rememner now what spurred this one but I did invest alot of emotion into this one.

[Aarontastic]

Yw, it's really nice and I bookmarked it. People always read poems a lot more than stories because they're shorter obvs, but I hope you keep writing b.c it would be a shame to not have you on anymore.

[Tabitha t]

thanks. I just guess as a novelist I fid it very hard to see these people who get 100 reviews on one poem and then I get maybe two or three per chapter if that but I understand

[Aarontastic]

It bothered me too when I saw that XD I much prefer writing short stories, but they don't get many views and hardly *any* reviews. But I just remind myself that the reason I write isn't to show it off really, it's just a nice bonus. Anyway, I will def. be checking out bloodstone soon now that I have more time coming up.

[Craig2591]

I feel the same way, Tabitha. That's why I ALWAYS leave a review when I read something. Especially those that review me back (like you).

[Tabitha t]

:) thanks! I think maybe we should try to get together something for just the novelist who feel under rated at this point.

[Soul Fire]

Lovely

[Bumble]

Lovely poem.

[Tabitha t]

thank you.!

[Pax]

now that is horrifying to watch in beautiful words... Great!

[Who Cares]

I love this piece, your diction is wonderful, it really adds to the piece. The imagery is beautiful it can be viewed with each word the reader reads. You open a new perspective to life by personifing this tree. Great piece

[Brandon S. Whitten]

My mind is winding down and can't express the brilliance of this poem. Well done. Thank you for sharing.

[Tabitha t]

thank you for the kind review. Im not a poet by any means. I am a born novelist.

[Brandon S. Whitten]

Well, I love it when people are a voice for our extended family, from the stars in the sky to the wind through the trees we are all related. Namaste

[Tabitha t]

completely agree! humanity should live by that rule of thought