Rallentanda

Rallentanda

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

ODE TO A MORETON BAY FIG....POW PROMPT 12

POETRY ON WEDNESDAY WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

This 'laissez faire' prompt enabled me to write a lot of varied poems this week. I was in the mood and dashed them off rather quickly. It only happens now and again.


Ode To A Moreton Bay Fig

Some of you were around
for hundreds of years
I remember you everywhere

I remember you
in the school grounds
where small girls in
plaits and pinnies spent
summer afternoons creating
intricate dolls houses in
your vast flying butress roots

Small girls singing
small girls swinging
swinging from your branches
like Tarzan dropped shrieking
and giggling into giant
leaf litter mounds

I remember you casting your lovely
dark shadows on the sand
water lapping at your feet and we
snoozing
underneath your majestic limbs
stretched out
in the heat of the day

You have all gone now
I miss you
I miss you
each murdered
in one fell swoop
an agonising scream
then crash

I'm sorry
I'm so sorry
A few of us
died with you

Father
Do not forgive them
For they know
exactly what they do
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16 comments:

  1. flaubertJuly 20, 2010 at 7:57 PM

    Rall what a beautiful tribute to a tree.
    I know nothing of the species of tree but now I must look it up. This brought tears to my eyes. I left the link to my poems on your other poem I am feeling a bit confused maybe! I want to say thanks again for an inspiring prompt!
    Pam

    http://flaubert-poetrywithme.blogspot.com/2010/07/groundhog-day-pow-12-1-whats-on-your.html

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  2. rallentandaJuly 20, 2010 at 8:20 PM

    Thanks Pam. These beautiful trees are natives to the east coast of NSW. We had them everywhere here in the harbourside suburbs of Sydney but because of the toilet block mcmansion development they have almost all been chopped down. We do a very good ugly down under.It's a real struggle to keep anything beautiful from the developer's rapacious grasp!

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  3. UmaJuly 20, 2010 at 11:14 PM

    Thank you so much Rall, this prompt comes at the right time for me. Been going through some difficult times, illness in the family. Writing this poem made me feel better.

    http://umaathreya.blogsome.com/2010/07/21/dove-grey-bones/

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  4. Stan SkiJuly 20, 2010 at 11:30 PM

    I see you're continuing the theme of 'endangered species' - after Cowries and 'nice' in-laws :)
    All good stuff!
    Here's WHAT'S ON MY MIND

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  5. UnknownJuly 20, 2010 at 11:53 PM

    Hi Rall,

    You certainly have given us a variety of poems so far. All cause for thought. Just one from me today but also a tribute. I'll also add my link to yesterday's poem if that is in tune with the majority.

    http://melrosemusings.blogspot.com/2010/07/thanksgiving-pow-prompt-12.html

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  6. AnonymousJuly 21, 2010 at 3:02 AM

    Rall, you are forgiven all in recompense for that wonderful poem. Trees are my heroes.

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  7. rallentandaJuly 21, 2010 at 3:05 AM

    Thanks Viv. They are everything to me as well.

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  8. barbaraJuly 21, 2010 at 4:27 AM

    I'd no idea figs could do such wonders. Developers are... well, the boogyman might be a real estate developer.

    Jumped the gun on my link. Here it is again. Or here they are again. The post is a little messy. sorry.

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  9. MaryJuly 21, 2010 at 4:29 AM

    Rall, I have enjoyed your "What's on your Mind?" theme. Very sad. Same thing happens in parts of the U.S. Hate also to see good farmland developed. In some years, how will we eat? I was so busy these last days with houseguests. Very little time to write. Sigh. Just a few short bursts on my mind. Apologies.

    http://inthecornerofmyeye.blogspot.com/2010/07/whats-on-my-mind.html

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  10. Francis ScudellariJuly 21, 2010 at 8:34 AM

    Now you've put a new thing on my mind. Such lovely memories, I particularly like the image of the leaf-litter mounds. And I couldn't agree more with the final sentiment.

    Different species of trees, but the same thing happens here in the US. The wooded area where I grew up is now mostly manicured lawns in a sprawling subdivision.

    Here's mine, quite literally about mind:
    Three minds

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  11. brenda wJuly 21, 2010 at 9:15 AM

    Rallentanda, I'm with Francis, you've opened something in me. Beautiful piece. You are shining this week. Your doll house moments must be rich memories.

    Here's a piece for my daughter, Thyra. (The yr is pronounced like "ear" She hates being called Thigh-ra.)

    http://bozone-bw.blogspot.com/2010/07/angel-you.html

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  12. J. D. MackenzieJuly 21, 2010 at 9:26 AM

    I'm touched by this. Hearing a convergence of coming-of-age with environmental consciousness. Living in an area first built upon natural resource extraction, I know first hand the love of really old trees, and the profit that tempts from buying and selling them. Poem to follow, I'm buried this week!

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  13. J. D. MackenzieJuly 21, 2010 at 9:51 AM

    I chose the environmental theme, specifically, what one critic has named the Mother of All Prompts, the BP scandal.

    Trudy, from Cameron Parish
    http://jdmackenzie.blogspot.com/

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  14. brenda wJuly 21, 2010 at 10:38 AM

    Here's another one, Rall. I wrote this piece and with the "DON'T CENSOR YOURSELF!" yelling at me. It is in response to a fight Len and I had this week. Here it is:

    http://bozone-bw.blogspot.com/2010/07/going-to-sun.html

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  15. Wayne PitchkoJuly 23, 2010 at 9:02 PM

    Ummmm here is what is on my mind
    http://waynepitchko.blogspot.com/2010/07/hanging-on.html

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wayne PitchkoJuly 23, 2010 at 9:14 PM

    nicely done Rall....lots going on for sure...thanks for this

    ReplyDelete

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