The Culture Tree

To me poetry is like a dance to a song being written in the moment.

The Culture Tree 

(Canvas)

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

I don't see the world with my eyes 

I feel it with my heart

I don't hear the songs with my ears

I hold them in my soul 

I remember not the moments I lived

I remember the times I loved

I don't feel every tear I have wept

I know of their passing 

Pride I have found from the roots

I come from

A tree as endless as Eden's 

In the leaves of their memory 

Author's Note

Thank you for reading feel free to comment or leave thoughts on this piece.

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Beautiful sentiment you have shared here Carlos. I thought of my family tree as I read your lines. Yes, I have pride in my roots and the values that previous generations have bestowed on me.

"I remember the times I loved"

What better way to live, than to love. Loving is everything.

I am most taken with this poem dear poet.

Chris

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Chris for your comment on this poem. It means the world to me to hear that these words had you thinking of your own roots. This was the purpose for writing the poem in the first place. To have the reader look within themselves and remember all those inherent qualities of past generations that define who they are. For we are but the branches and leaves of a greater tree. We pass along to our children and grandchildren the love that was given to us by our ancestors whether it was in a gift of ceremony, heirloom, prayer, song, story, or wisdom. My grandmother who had over 20 children once told me the most profound thought about love. She said in her life she had three husbands but never ever knew love. It was through her children that she finally understood what is was like to be loved. It was her precious words that haunted me when she said, "I remember the times I loved." when she described holding everyone of her babies for the first time. At times we fail to see in the simplest of moments the most profound message of life. I believe they are the waters to our roots. We exist because of those moments. Thank you kindly for reading and taking to heart the message of this poem.

[Coyote Poetry]

A wonderful poem Carlos and Happy New year.
"I remember not the moments I lived
I remember the times I loved"
The above lines, we must do. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry and your thoughts.
Coyote

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you kindly my friend I appreciate your comment. Hope you and all your love ones have a wonderful new years.

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello Carlos. Everyone is good and you are welcome. I hope you and the family are doing well and having some fun.

[red93]

Nice Song style structure to this piece Carlos and I found it rather haunting and also strangely moving in the way the Piece plays out. Excellent.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you kindly for your comment. From the Hispanic culture that defines me music, faith, story, food, and family are strong ideas which resonates in our hearts. I remember a day in my childhood seeing my grandmother dance slowly in the kitchen a slow waltze. When I asked her what she was doing she told me dancing to music. I told her there was no music at all playing. She took me by the hand and continued to dance and began singing an old Spanish ballad. As an 8 year old I finally understood the songs we hold in our souls. This small poem are the words of a little Guatemalan woman who loved singing, dancing, cooking, gossip, laughing, and loving people with the most kindest of hearts that would make a Saint envious. She was my tree and I her leaf. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and bringing this old heart of mine a memory of her I'll never forget.

[Lorry]

Writing does seem to come from some deeply hidden part of our mind/brain/psyche that somehow manages to file the memories of us and ours into a better order than the simple act of speaking, or thinking out loud as I call it.
Even the simple act of lifting pen and paper, with a fresh blank sheet and no particular thought of what will happen (or word doc) can open our mind to let the thoughts go, so that we can somehow sit in wonder at where it came from and because we have already put the pen down, we just shrug and call it the muse or free writing... (isn't all writing free?)
It sets the mood within us to surprise even ourselves at what seems to fall out of us so easily that I sometimes wonder why we don't all have a pen and paper in hand before giving people our sometimes too vocal and unasked for opinions.
I think that may catch on you know! 😊
It is so many different things to so many, but we can all still nod our head in agreement as we read others thoughts of the why and how's of why we do it. This is no exception. I think you hit the nail on the top bit with a heavy thing really well here.
Ps... And no, how did you guess I'm not a joiner? 😊

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

You are absolutely right Lorry. There are times art just flows from an unseen tap of inspiration. This literally wrote itself in less than 5 minutes once I started typing onto my tablet. When I was done it left me shocked with the results. I was simply thinking about my grandmother who used to tell me small morality stories growing up. Many involving tradition and the reasons why we are moved to continue them from one generation to another. I didn't realize till after this was completed that I actually wrote her into the words. She was the strongest branch and her wisdom I now see resonates with many around the world in this community of fine writers. Thank you my friend for sharing your wise thoughts with me on this piece.

[M. J. Smith]

The ancestors call. But do we still hear? We have forgotten them and so forgotten who we are. It good to know our roots. And it was good of you to remind us of this truth. Our children must inherit our wisdom, not our mistakes.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

I totally agree with your thoughts. Culture and its traditions hold great significance in a person's identity. And with it vital wisdom and experience. Our children are better for it when we pass it on to them. It is one of the qualities that define our greater humanity. Thank you again my friend.

[M. J. Smith]

It is I should thank you for reminding me of a poet's responsibility: To both leave beauty in the world, and to make the mind and spirit stronger.

[JE Falcon]

A poem that relates to everyone, I would think, at some time. And I enjoyed reading and the walk down memory lane. --- Thanks.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you JE for your thoughts on this piece. This poem was one of my favorites to write because of the deep meaning of its message. It was created upon reflection of who I see myself as in this world of humanity. That pieces of me come from many places and many times of the past. I am an amalgamation of a historical past. A leaf from a greater tree. As each and everyone of us are as well. Thank you so much again.

[Patricia]

the opening line got me right away, I feel the same way, well all of it is relatable but the first lines are something special that I think all poets have. I always say it would be nice to walk outside and see the day and just say it's nice out instead of how do I make this into a poem. I know no other way to think, it can be tiring but at the same time it is a gift. "I remember the times that I loved" WOW great line and so true! every memory is surrounded by love but everything else is a blur for me, again something so relatable. I mean this is an incredible piece of poetry. really great work here!

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Patricia for the kind comment on this poem . This work has great significance to me because these are the relevant ideas and qualities that define me as a human being. Much of them inherent and cultural. Pride reveals itself in the ways one chooses to remain faithful to these aspirations of the heart. The voice they speak with from words of generations past. Their influence, hope, and love. For but the grace of my grandmother's love who instilled these things within me, but in the end must be my choice to live by. I do so to honor her. Thank you so much again for your thoughts on this poem.

[Patricia]

And she would be honored and proud!

[lightsong]

Wonderful thoughts, the feelings are wistful and sensitive, almost as a gentle tear slips from the first line till the last one, I can see many relate to your thoughts but I also see the very personal touch through them, obviously You wrote them from the deep of your heart, maybe trying to heal, to forget the pain. what I really like about this, how You ended it using the word "Pride" reminding yourself and human, from where we came, how we should connect to our essence, how each of us is unique their own way. Thank You for sharing You with us dear Carols.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you for such a caring and thoughtful comment. This was written as a tribute to my grandmother who taught me to not be ashamed of my roots. To have pride for my culture. In clinging to these things I still hold onto her. The music, the art, the language, the food, and the traditions. I hear a Spanish song and I dance with her ghost. In composing this poem it is my hope that anyone reading these words take pride in their culture for it defines the essence of their heart, whether they know it or not. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts on this piece.

[lightsong]

Bless her soul and yours dear Carlos ❤️

[Laz K.]

We like to say that we're all humans, one family, etc., and it's true, but without some kind of cultural framework it'd be impossible to live a meaningful life. "Culture" explains to the individual his/her origins, values to live by and others to fight against. That is why globalization that erases cultural heritage in the name of profit is often looked upon as undesirable.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

It truly speaks ill of those societies that discourage the culture of others in requiring assimilation. Those valuable inherent qualities passed down from generation to generation. We hold the singular trait of humanity that unifies us, but it is the beauty of diverse cultures that make us unique among species of the world. Reaching our greater humanity is not in the assimilation or coalescing of us all, but the final acceptance and realization that we are a unified species despite our diversity. Thank you Laz for your insightful thoughts.

[AmandaRios]

Beautiful. Especially in a time like ours, it is always nice to stop and appreciate the little joys that make us feel alive the most.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Culture is very important to our art. Especially feel this in my latinX roots. The words I write derive from the strong Latina women in my family who were very influential in my life. This was for them.

[AmandaRios]

Yes. You should give my "Kitchen Countertops" a read for strong Latin woman feels. :-)