Sunday, November 6, 2011

Sunday Trees

melaleuca


The PaperBark



You are the poet’s tree, cantos and books, chapters and stanzas

are hidden in your layers;

Secret histories of Earth and Spirit

wind, drought, visiting fire and deluge.

Lovers inscribe their visions in your leaves,

war declared, birth announcements

and the mysteries of Hanging Rock and the Red Hand.



The oldest legends are buried deepest:

the sky arching, land erupting:    tree, blade and fauna;

Water receding and air coalescing from the void;

Brolga, emu, wombat and cockatoo record their genome –

even man, the infant in his chanting, slips amongst

Your pages.



x

7 comments:

Martin said...

"...even man, the infant in his chanting, slips amongst

Your pages." I particularly like this.

Dave King said...

Your poem more than does justice to a fantastic image. What more can I say?

Liz Rice-Sosne said...

I have had products made from this tree ... but I have never seen it. It is a wondrous tree. It looks "giant."

Kathy Bischoping said...

A wonderful morning read, giving long view on paper and story. I liked the sky "arching" and, like Martin, how man enters as a chanting infant.

lucychili said...

wonderful tree and poem =)

Lyn said...

This is so rich.. what is held within, what is given...and yet to solve the mystery of Hanging Rock!Beautiful...

jabblog said...

What an incredible tree - and your verse fits it perfectly!