Hi all! This is Abhra and it’s my second night on poetics. Recently, I took a long road trip and as it seems, I am not back into my daily life yet. So here it tonight’s prompt, taking us out of our doors again.
Let us have a look outside our window. What do we see – a busy city, a narrow lane, a calm neighborhood, concrete jungle? How about trees? I am very sure some of us may be fortunate enough to see the greenery, when we open the window every day, but most are not. This week I want us to write tree poetry.
Poets have been inspired to write about trees since a long time. I will start with a great example that I came across.
Trees
by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth’s flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Think Like a Tree
by Karen I. Shrag
Soak up the sun
Affirm life’s magic
Be graceful in the wind
Stand tall after a storm
Feel refreshed after it rains
Grow strong without notice
Be prepared for each season
Provide shelter to strangers
Hang tough through a cold spell
Emerge renewed at the first signs of spring
Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky
Be still long enough to
hear your own leaves rustling.
I am sure there are a lot many great examples like the two I mentioned. However, what I have in mind is slightly different. What if we were to live the life of trees? What tree would we become? How would our thoughts be? Can we think like a tree? Can we really live like a tree? So tonight, let us bring the trees to life with our powerful imagination.
Now, if you are new to Dversepoets, this is what you got to do.
- Write a poem and post it to your site/blog.
- Enter a link to your poem and your name by clicking Mr Linky below.
- You will find links to other poets. Read and comment on other poet’s work.
- If you are promoting your work on social media, use the tag #dversepoets.
I took this photo at Longleat safari park – had to post process it a little to give the effect needed for visual art with my post tonight.
Thank you all. Have fun.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Hi Abhra, Loved the prompt.. this time of the year is the best to write about tree.. really there are so much to be had from trees.. they are like small towns… and yes the oak … I adore oaks… Happy tuesday
claudia said:
i always wanted to live in a tree when i was a child…
Abhra Pal said:
Smiles, I can only imagine how much fun that would be.
Abhra Pal said:
Yes, Bjorn, absolutely. I wanted a nice photo to with this prompt and luckily I found one too. Happy Tuesday.
claudia said:
smiles… i love trees… very cool prompt abhra… happy tuesday everyone – and seeing you out on the trail….
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I can write tree-poetry all days..
kelly said:
I am one of those lucky enough to live out in the country, amongst the trees.
My poem takes a slightly different approach, but I hope it still fits in, it was based around a piece of music I found that used a computer to somehow create sound using the rings inside a tree trunk. So, I am dancing with the trees…
claudia said:
nice…. the trees are patient dance partners… smiles
Abhra Pal said:
Kelly, I am just back home after a long day, heading over to posts now. You are definitely lucky to live out in the country.
claudia said:
cool on having so many trees…. in our old house we had a huge walnut tree – and when we moved away my daughter was crying one night in her bed because she missed the tree so much…
lupitatucker said:
Happy Tuesday everyone!!
claudia said:
happy tuesday to you as well lupita!!
Abhra Pal said:
Happy tuesday!
Myrna said:
It’s such a great prompt. However, I don’t think I followed it well. I’ve been away and really wanted to join in, so my poem doesn’t exactly fit, but it is a little about trees. Thanks for hosting tonight.
claudia said:
so great to see you in the pub myrna!!!!
…and thanks for sharing a bit of the precious time you had with your granddaughter and fam with us….
claudia said:
will be back in a bit… blacklist on the menue…. ha – smiles
Susan said:
I’m slightly off prompt, having started this poem before getting it. I bought a new pine tree for my yard yesterday which got me thinking about trees I’d planted in each place I lived. The poem combines an older tree (pictured) and the willow dad planted at my birth. We left that birth tree behind when we moved. I was 7.
brian miller said:
its cool to plant a tree at birth and let it grow up with the child…imagine them as adults looking at how far that tree has grown and relating to how far they have come…
Mary said:
Nice prompt, Abhra. I think you got many of our poetic wheels turning.
Abhra Pal said:
Thanks Mary, happy Tuesday 🙂
Gabriella said:
Hi Abhra, I have enjoyed the poems I have read so far.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Me too.. many great ones.
lupitatucker said:
So many great poems! Love the different perspectives, and the way we also share similar themes.
brian miller said:
def cool to see where the prompt takes each…the places we connect and the ones that make us think a bit differently as well…
kkkkaty1 said:
Lot of ideas here, but went with haiku for trees today…am off to an afternoon of appointments..will see you later on the trail as well..
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
haiku works perfectly for trees…
Sherry Blue Sky said:
The Kilmer poem is the first poem I remember hearing – and loving – and also the first time I really thought about how beautiful trees are. I was eight years old. Love this prompt! I have written many poems about trees but cranked out another one.
brian miller said:
ah to listen to what the trees have to tell us sherry…smiles.
Sara v said:
Abhra, great idea–love trees and that poem by Joyce Kilmer 🙂
Madeleine Begun Kane said:
Thanks for a fun prompt! Here’s my Out On A Limb Limerick.
freyathewriter said:
Great prompt, Abhra! Thank you for tending bar tonight 🙂
charliezero1.wordpress.com said:
What a wonderful prompt. I love the two poems…excellent!
I am back! everyone…and I’m ready to blog again. 🙂
brian miller said:
hey good to see you charlie…great to have you back…look forward to your tree poem…
charliezero1.wordpress.com said:
I just posted my tree piece poem. Check it out…you will laugh.
brian miller said:
just playing catch up…had a meeting right after school…
ready to play among the trees…
Abhra Pal said:
Sadly my workplace is not like that Jo – but next to my bedroom there is a beautiful tree which is all white at this time of the year. It inspired me to start this post 🙂
arandomstateofmind said:
Great prompt Abhra ..the subject , trees , being my favourite . I’m linking one of my poems which I wrote last month . I came across a titanic mango tree on my visit to Mumbai , it seemed that it was embracing the sky …..the lines were inspired by the photograph of that tree 🙂
Abhra Pal said:
Thank you so much for dropping by – I am really glad you could join in.
shanyns said:
I hope I did justice to this my friend. Thanks for the great Poetics. Looking forward to catching up with you all tomorrow and maybe later this evening! 🙂
Abhra Pal said:
Thanks Shanyn, happy Tuesday!
brian miller said:
be back later to catch up with those reading…
Grace said:
I like the metaphor of trees Abhra ~ For my approach, I recalled signing a form long ago, donating my organs should I die ~ I think of trees in this way too, how nurturing and life-giving they are ~
Happy Tuesday to all ~
brian miller said:
it was def a cool and unique approach to the prompt grace…i liked it much…
happy tuesday
grapeling said:
an inspired prompt, Abhra ~
brian miller said:
heya M
grapeling said:
Ola B. How’s your dad?
brian miller said:
he is good…he finished cardiac therapy at the halfway point because he is progressing well…he is 6 months from retirement, so this is a good thing…he can finish out well…
my father in law was back in the hospital yesterday…internal bleeding again…one thing after another you know…smiles
thanks for remembering and asking man.
grapeling said:
Yoiks. Good luck…
Sumana Roy said:
Thank you for considering the most precious object on our planet as today’s prompt…I’ve shared a few lines 🙂
brian miller said:
they are most def precious…and we should act and consider them so…
enthusiasticallydawn said:
I love that first poem – Kilmer…and it’s been so long (if ever) that I have read ALL of the words. What a rich, familiar and beautiful piece. So glad Shanyn nudged me here today! I miss this place and the peeps. Has been a bit hectic on the homefront. Poetry IS good therapy…as are poetically inclined friends! A round for everyone! I’m buying! lol. SO reasonable to buy a round for everyone here…
mishunderstood said:
Sorry if this is off topic, but I was wondering if anyone else had trouble getting into WordPress.(I was redirected continuously to a page about adding another blog) It’s been a trip and a half to get in here, but I will take a seat under the willow tree, and hopefully when I come out of hiding, I will have written something slightly inspiring and things will be back to normal in the blogosphere.
gailatthefarm said:
Not exactly by the book but I’m in!
claudia said:
good morning… wow… waking to 45 links… that’s awesome… will be out on the trail in a minute… need a cup of coffee first though… smiles
biggerthanalasagna said:
I love the prompt, Abhra!
claudia said:
so you’re going to join us..? smiles
biggerthanalasagna said:
I wrote a poem, but I didn’t link it. I wasn’t sure I would be able to visit the other linkers. 🙂
ManicDdaily said:
Hey Abhra–truly beautiful photograph and great prompt. I’m afraid I took it in rather a dark direction. k.
claudia said:
i’m glad you wrote about it k. – raising awareness..
brian miller said:
alright…heading to bed….be back manana
claudia said:
sleep well bri..
claudia said:
ok – off to work… will be back in the evening to catch up..
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com said:
A lovely prompt: Trees are and always have been a passion of mine. I have linked one of my earliest poems, a shape poem, which is so difficult to get to post properly on WordPress and that time I managed it.
That tree no longer greets me every morning from my bedroom window. It;s my only regret for our move last year, though I still see it when I drive up to the next village to shop.
journalread said:
Wonderful prompt, Abhra.
rosross said:
I have pulled up something old as time demands are short. But nice to have dverse again. I am still not getting notifications so will have to fiddle more. So much for new computers. Sigh.
vandana said:
A very nice theme…….since trees are part of our environment and are responsible for the life support on our planet earth, so I wrote a poem on the protection of environment.
Akila said:
I have experimented int he form of a tree…hope it works!! thanks for giving me a channel for my thoughts
MarinaSofia said:
Dear Abhra, I think I may have gone a little off-track, but I tried my best to personify that young anonymous tree in my garden. In a way, I do wish I were that young and flexible once more… Didn’t have time to read any links last night, but am dedicating this morning to that…
MarinaSofia said:
Oddly enough (and not the first coincidence of this sort), I just came across this website entry about trees that have died but not yet fallen, a photo project in South Africa
http://hovercraftdoggy.com/2014/05/06/we-stay-where-we-are/
Madhura said:
Hi Abhra, firstly, that’s a terrific photo, and a very cool, interesting prompt! I’ve linked up a little something I wrote, and some photos… I’m afraid i didn’t have much time on my hands. I’ve read some poems on the trail and they are fantastic! Will be back to go through them all in some time!
Grandmother (Mary) said:
To speak as the tree- I love this!
Snakypoet (Rosemary Nissen-Wade) said:
I love trees, and they often turn up n my poems. It was a change though, and fun, to try one from the tree’s pov. Also combined it with a Poetic Asides prompt. It’s now way past my bedtime, so I’ll come back and look at others’ tomorrow.
brian miller said:
yours was wonderful rosemary…
get some rest…see you tomorrow…
gailatthefarm said:
I think my poetic talent is on vacation. Thanks for allowing me to play.
lynndiane said:
Lots of good “poet-tree” here to read…under the shade or out on a limb 🙂 Thanks for the inspiring prompt, Abhra…Joyce Kilmer’s tree poem is one of my favs.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
62 entries.. My evening is saved 🙂 Now off to do a catch-up..
claudia said:
smiles.. just caught up as well
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
and now writing to next challenge…
CC Champagne said:
I am all poem-ed out for today now… And this one I had to make more difficult than need be (of course). Anyway, I’ll be back to read tomorrow… Thanks, as always for the wonderful prompts and great company!
claudia said:
smiles…. just read.. a beautiful write
Imelda said:
Thanks for the prompt, Abhra. Though I barely met the cut-off time, I am very glad, as always, to be able to write a new poem for the Pub. 🙂