During a poetry class that I regularly attend, late last year our topic was on trees. There was a quote about truly knowing a tree is to know it in death, or something to that effect (I'm currently attempting to see if any of my poetry nerd friends remember the specifics). So with that being said, the first line that I thought of at that moment sitting there in class, was the second to the last line of the poem, "... making confetti of the [trees] flesh." And the rest is history...
This was beautifully artful and scientific and I love the balance. Makes me wish we had some in Connecticut! Next time I am out that way, I’m going to think of this poem and look for one 🌳 thanks for sharing ☺️
What a celebration indeed! Flesh confetti is a lil gruesome but I love it. I also had no idea mistletoe was parasitic. Seems like a strange plant to symbolize love and peace..
I spent literally thousands of hours doing tree work while working in parks in Sacramento. Either running the chipper or running the chainsaw. Or both at the same time.
Nice! I can barely handle a chainsaw (kind of scares me). But, I worked as a ground man in Tuolumne County. I learned tree identification pretty well though. It’s a honest and great career. My boss tried to teach me to climb trees with spikes, but after he saw I was afraid of the chainsaw, it became just a job for me. I highly admired Scary Larry though (my boss).
Larry was old school. He wasn’t insured and never would of had the money to get a bucket lift. I think he chose it that way. He could have built his business, but he didn’t seem to be interested. In forty years of climbing he never got hurt? but he would be up in the tree, always asking it or God where to cut. It was a spectacle to witness. I was agnostic until I met that guy. I’m going to write some prose about him, someday. He was the wizard on the hill, Merlin, Saint Lawrence. He told me once he was going to write a book himself (he never did, that I’m aware of, but he had a title I thought was great) calling it “Fairytales for children, young and old” I’m sure it would have been very Lewis Carroll, knowing him, very dry sense of humor, you had to really listen, but his riddles were non stop.
I love the way you honored it with your words. It is fitting!
During a poetry class that I regularly attend, late last year our topic was on trees. There was a quote about truly knowing a tree is to know it in death, or something to that effect (I'm currently attempting to see if any of my poetry nerd friends remember the specifics). So with that being said, the first line that I thought of at that moment sitting there in class, was the second to the last line of the poem, "... making confetti of the [trees] flesh." And the rest is history...
This is so poignant. The imagery of the Ash waving goodbye to its leaves is so vivid and moving. Nature’s way of saying farewell
This was beautifully artful and scientific and I love the balance. Makes me wish we had some in Connecticut! Next time I am out that way, I’m going to think of this poem and look for one 🌳 thanks for sharing ☺️
Thank you! Yes, please do. The central valley in California has such diversity of trees and the Modesto Ash is one of them.
What a celebration indeed! Flesh confetti is a lil gruesome but I love it. I also had no idea mistletoe was parasitic. Seems like a strange plant to symbolize love and peace..
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I usually write pretty dark stuff, and that was my way to incorporate my style into a nature poem.
what a great juxtaposition! might try it out myself
Do it! That's the great thing about poetry…
you can do whatever you want.
I grew up in a neighborhood lined with Modesto Ash. It’s a tree of home for me. Dig the chainsaw references, speaking my language.
I spent literally thousands of hours doing tree work while working in parks in Sacramento. Either running the chipper or running the chainsaw. Or both at the same time.
Nice! I can barely handle a chainsaw (kind of scares me). But, I worked as a ground man in Tuolumne County. I learned tree identification pretty well though. It’s a honest and great career. My boss tried to teach me to climb trees with spikes, but after he saw I was afraid of the chainsaw, it became just a job for me. I highly admired Scary Larry though (my boss).
Climbers are a whole other breed. We never had any climbers, so we’d always use a boom lift to trim or fall trees.
Larry was old school. He wasn’t insured and never would of had the money to get a bucket lift. I think he chose it that way. He could have built his business, but he didn’t seem to be interested. In forty years of climbing he never got hurt? but he would be up in the tree, always asking it or God where to cut. It was a spectacle to witness. I was agnostic until I met that guy. I’m going to write some prose about him, someday. He was the wizard on the hill, Merlin, Saint Lawrence. He told me once he was going to write a book himself (he never did, that I’m aware of, but he had a title I thought was great) calling it “Fairytales for children, young and old” I’m sure it would have been very Lewis Carroll, knowing him, very dry sense of humor, you had to really listen, but his riddles were non stop.
Thank you 🙏