The man who knew trees

Subject: The man who knew trees
From: theleveller
Date: 11 Apr 14 - 07:03 AM

A new poem on the blog. One of those rare ones that come out of the blue, almost fully-formed, when out walking:

The man who knew trees

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Apr 14 - 07:50 AM

Insightful and beautiful at once.

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 11 Apr 14 - 07:54 AM

Thank you for posting this poem. I, too, enjoyed it very much.

Peter

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 11 Apr 14 - 09:52 AM

I like the sentiment, leveller. Have you read The Woodcutter by Kate Danley? I came across it almost by accident and enjoyed it. The reason I mention it is that the central character - The Woodcutter from fairy stories and legends - has the same respect for trees. I won't give any more away in case you read it :-)

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: theleveller
Date: 11 Apr 14 - 10:19 AM

Thanks a lot. No, Dave, I haven't read it but I' certainly will now.

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: theleveller
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 10:33 AM

A big 'thanks' to all the people from the USA, UK and Canada who have visited my blog in the last couple of days - and to those from Estonia, Italy, Poland, Romania, China, France and Germany. Seems the poem has a certain international appeal.

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 11:47 AM

Is there any reason why this non musical, self promoting vanity project isn't in the BS section?

Although I do like trees.

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 12:36 PM

Last post, 'GUEST', rather mean-spirited of you. The poet merely wanted to share his beautiful composition with us. I for one found it moving. As it expresses how I personally feel about trees, I've copied it out into my 'special' notebook. Thank you very much indeed 'theleveller'.

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 12:53 PM

And Guest 11:47 is wrong as can be. Music is all around and in trees.

Thanks, the leveller.

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: theleveller
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 12:59 PM

Thanks Eliza. No reason why anonymous Guest should like my poems (there are plenty of people who don't) but a pity that he/she hasn't got the bottle to post a name and say what he/she doesn't like about them, which is always helpful to a writer. Pretty cowardly, I'd say. BTW, Guest: no name, I do sometime put music to my poems. I call them "songs" - are you a creative person, if so why not show us what you can do?

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: theleveller
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 01:00 PM

Thanks, Ebbie - you got it!

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 01:04 PM

Thanks for the thoughtful poem.
The illustration showing a tree that has suffered adversity, is excellent.

Subject: RE: The man who knew trees
From: theleveller
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 02:44 PM

Q, like so many of us, the adversity of the tree shown is that of age - it's called the Wyre Oak and is estimated to be 350-400 years old. Few people even know of its existence so I try to visit regularly just to show that it's not forgotten :).

Thinking about it, I think that Guest-with-no-name does have a point about the vanity aspect. But, in my defence, I would suggest that any writer, artist, musician, dancer, sculptor or creative person in any genre is guilty of vanity in wanting an audience for what they create. In doing so, however, you immediately open yourself up to criticism as well as approbation. This is good - it's part of the creative process. As a tutor of creative writing, I tell my students that although, in the first instance, self-criticism is the most important, they must never ignore criticism from others even if, after careful consideration, they choose to dismiss it. What does get my goat a little is when criticism is anonymous.

It's always difficult for poets to get their work before an audience. It always has been: Basil Bunting, who is now acclaimed as one of the great British poets of the twentieth century, was not published for over 30 years despite being championed by T S Elliot and Ezra Pound. Nowadays, even less poetry is published and even in poetry magazines the audience is predominantly other poets. So please forgive me for posting on what is essentially a music board. In justification, I will say that I have, in the past, received comments from some 'catters that they have gained pleasure from my poetry.

No writer should really ask for more.