Friday, April 5, 2013

barbed wire

 this maple has embraced
a keeper of cows.
 (and horses, i suppose,)
and anyway, one march day
i found this uncle
and said hello
and looked closely at that wire.
barbed wire, once stapled into a young tree's truck
and for some reason
this uncle welcomed cold steel
and said, " i shall hold tight to you.
i shall help keep the cattle in" (or the horses, i suppose)
and still, today, it tries to keep the vow
though the rest of that fenceline is long lost.
and each spring
this old man
weeps maple sap 
for a returning songbird to sip.
i shall tootle over to maine tomorrow,
and return late sunday,
wishing you a happy weekend,
stories, and good friends.

12 comments:

  1. safe, happy, abundant travels!

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  2. I never know whether to laugh or cry when I see the remains of a wire/tree battle--- weeping syrup tears is by far the best response...

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  3. Oh Happy tootling... and your tree who embraced wire reminded me for the first time in years, about a series of really old trees in the really old part of the cemetary in Providence that I used to walk daily. The trees had eaten half of the old tombstones. Half inside the tree, half outside. It was strangely cool.

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  4. --have a great weekend, Velma. come back and tell us all about it.

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  5. That old man keeping his vow, well I am enchanted and sympathetic tears fall here but no bird comes.

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  6. Isn't it the way, Velma, that the wound then gives outwards beauty?

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  7. thanks, aimee
    ronnie, yes, it was astonishing
    valerie, how cool!
    thanks, jean
    ms, i'll send bird wishes
    faisal, indeed

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  8. thanks, aimee
    ronnie, yes, it was astonishing
    valerie, how cool!
    thanks, jean
    ms, i'll send bird wishes
    faisal, indeed

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  9. V-what a magnificent gesture by the tree to accept the barbs and fully envelope them and use the conduit of the wire to feed the birds. Wish we could be so accommodating. B

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  10. What a great discovery - it speaks of so many years and quiet transitions. Hope you travelled safe and had a fun and saw Hannah.

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  11. barry, yes, we should be
    fiona, half way and well--

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