All That's Left of the Old Man, Spoken Word and Poem

It is what comes from being rooted in one spot too long ...

All That's Left of the Old Man

Listen ...

there’s an eerie whine

under the rustle

the leaves given voice

the oak playing tricks

old men and their love of unnerving

the young and unsuspecting

it is what comes

from being rooted

in one spot for too long

boredom sets in

something wicked

              this way comes

the wind abets

his evil ways

grants an alibi

by pointing a finger

at his next of kin

but has the old man ever asked

who is really in charge

instead, he insists

no pictures, please

the oak hides in the shadows

but I have him in my focus

click, click, click

time now to retire

from the coming storm

the wind blows

a little too hard

             and it’s done

all that is left of the old man

his soul and wicked ways

is a captured photograph

All That's Left of the Old Man is published in Monsters, Avatars, & Angels available on amazon.com and through your local bookstores and libraries.

Author's Note

Monsters, Avatars, and Angels contains the short story series Demons, Harlots and Crones, which follows two generations of the Demeere family and its legacy of spite and envy. Included in the series is Demon in High Socks; Holler it out with Lemonade; the Old Lady, Her Plymouth, and Cockroaches; Sex in a Pan; and the Fire Crone and Stone Harlot. Also within its pages are more than a hundred poems exploring the darker side of human nature and its undeniable conclusion. Two Orphan Sparrows, the Devil is a DJ, the Last Striptease, Up From the Roses, and many more titles are found within. Ultimately Monsters, Avatars, and Angels asks the reader to look at the darkness found within herself and by facing it, perhaps go beyond.

Reviews

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

A wicked old man personified as the tree perhaps, whatever it is it reads as an extraordinary novel poem, stylish muse indeed. Kudos!

Nice to read from you again....plz pleez do review/ comment/ write your thoughts under my newest poem too titled, ' sing a song of Taj Mahal.

[Pryde Foltz]

Thank you, Zaynab:) I almost always return reviews. I will be over there shortly:)

[wordman]

lol,we get old and set in our ways i guess

[Pryde Foltz]

We do indeed. Thanks, Ron:)

[wordman]

you`re welcome

[Relic]

I think how you interpret a poem has a lot to do with what you can equate it with. A young child might choose to see the old tree as a man in his neighborhood who was mean and died. An elderly person may see an Al Capone or crooked politician. I'm sure the ones that hate Donald Trump are praying for that wind to come along soon. lol

Oaks are some of the strongest trees in the forest, but even they must fall one day despite their blustery attitudes.

I wondered if I should wait a little longer before posting this, wondering if I might think of more interpretations that are better, but...you get the picture. :)))))))

[Pryde Foltz]

Oh, do I love this review. When I wrote this, I imagined more of the grumpy old man in the neighborhood/local don kind of thing, but yes there is more far-reaching observation of humanity with this for sure. I was saying, I think to Sami, that to withstand the storm, one must nurture those around him who will help him buttress the storm and not hog all the resources and sun. But our oak at least offers shade and beauty and not just stench and filth. Oh dear ... I think I am triggered. LOL:):):)

[Pryde Foltz]

DT is hard to see the good in.

[Paul Bell]

Time has caught up with the old man, now dust in the wind.
The monster exists in us all, and the monster will kill us all.
Like the idea of a picture capturing wicked ways.

[Pryde Foltz]

Thank you, Paul. We are immortalized by the words and images we leave behind. The gnarled but naughty oak is no different:)

[redzone]

A chilling tale Pryde... and one that is more often fact than fiction... monsters always like dark places don’t they... and they don’t wait for Halloween either... nicely written and spoken Pryde

[Pryde Foltz]

Thank you, Red. Nice to see you smiling face on my feed:)

[barleygirl]

The "rooted in one spot" concept & verse is superb! I instantly love these rascally old men! I love how this is both spooky & playfully affectionate . . . a beautiful balance especially for scaring children! I apologize for not reviewing you . . . seems I always click on one of your oral poems & I'm not good at hearing poetry. I'm a visual person, so I need to see the words in front of me to absorb a msg. Thanks for understanding & have fun pumping out great poetry like this! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Pryde Foltz]

Glad you are here now, Margie. These days I am posting both the poem and the spoken word together, at least for the first few days. So stop on over whenever you got the feels. There should be something on the stove:):):)

[andrew mitchell]

THis had a grim brothers fairytale feel , somewhat macabre, somewhat dark, but oh so written well to entertain us in the flow.

[Pryde Foltz]

Thank you, Andrew. If you saw the massive oak who inspired it, you would see how he gifted me with his energy:)

[Neville]

I am indeed mightily impressed... well writ and amazingly articulated ..

[Pryde Foltz]

Thanks so much, Neville:)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

once the leaves of life are blown away in our fall, there is nothing left to shield our soul...it is bared, the poet who has withstood the storms, the ups and downs, the weather of life...is ready to yield to winter.
nicely written and read,
j.

[Pryde Foltz]

What a wonderful interpretation, Jacob:) Thank you:)

[Sami Khalil]

I feel this wonderful poem is talking about the legacy we leave whether good or shameful and in this case, the latter. Some don't want evidence to their wicked actions but in spite of that, another is paying attention, snapping photos. It is fitting here to say that what goes around will come around. He who causes others to fall, the storm will come around and make him fall.

[Pryde Foltz]

Well said ... if one wishes shelter from the storm, she must build those up around her. Excellent insight, Sami. Thank you:)

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! You are welcome Pryde.