Old Trees

Watching the patriarchs and matriarchs die off is an interesting affair

 

OLD TREES

 

The old trees are falling

One after one,

Their neighbors trembling

Or resigned,

As swaths of sky appear.

 

The forest floor rumbles:

Young ones reach for cover

Along the crash site

As the sheltering arms

Fail and fall.

 

Sprays of sunlight

Announce the sweet sorrow

Of middle-aged trees

Free to spread their limbs

Above the slender saplings.

 

Sometimes the oldsters

Begin to thin and wither

Losing their majesty

Long before they finally fail,

 

Or their children,

Too long held in shadow

Prove too weak

To reach the yearning sky.

 

But in the great forest

New champions will always come

To grow high toward heaven.

And the souls of the old trees

Will feed the whole forest

With memories sweet and sad.

 

 

David P. Eckert

 

Author's Note

This is the original version. A 2008 version will soon be posted

Reviews

[Six Impossible Things]

I like the image of the falling trees bringing forth the patches of sky. Something for the rest to look up to and strive for.

Beautiful imagery

[Kara Emily Krantz]

"Sprays of sunlight
Announce the sweet sorrow "

the dichotomy between the sunlight and the fallen trees is so bittersweet.

you made them so human... great job

[[untitled]]

sad poem, but i liked it

[T. L. O'Neal]

Wonderful poem David, I assume it is an analogy on the life cycle of man? If it is I say, BRAVO! If it's about trees, well still really nice poem. T

[Carlos Isaias Ruiz]

Wow, an excellent concept.

Though, some of the words struck me as a little too bold.