Wisdom Keepers

What one is drawn to says a lot about their character, I believe. Those who are drawn to peace and positivity are such themselves; or, desire to be. The opposite, those drawn to conflict and drama are such themselves; or will be.

Thank you for your response. Much appreciated.

Needed this today. I carried you to my Red Tent. I hope you felt our collective strength.

I absolutely feel when you carry me with you; and, when I'm carrying you. Thank you, Poppy. xo

Just before reading this, I was looking through a portfolio of ancient trees snapped by a photographer over the course of 20 years.  Their stoic spirits radiate from the pages.  We really do  take their peaceful and healing energy for granted.  Beautiful write; it resonates so deeply 💜.  

Trees have always been one of my favorite subjects to photograph, Luna. They're majestic and full of ancient secrets, even the young ones have access to the rooted network of knowledge.

Thank you for your reply. It's nice to know another tree-hugger along the way.  xo

Words of wisdom.  
Nature keeps us grounded. Whether it be Christ in the garden of Gethsemane or Siddhartha in the Deer Park, an escape into nature leads to self discovery.

It certainly does, SnuggleB.  I love the contrast you've used between Gethsemane and Deer Park.  Nature just is, regardless of us, isn't it?

Thank you, my friend. Much appreciated.

find your place and walk it

yes. so much yes.

i feel very calm after reading this; there's a solidity, a stoicism, and yet an ephemeral quality (the leaves do that, i believe) to this write, Aha. it feels "right"

as a child, one of my most favourite places to visit nature, alone, was a copse of deciduous trees at whose feet a small stream twisted playfully. Nothing dangerous for a child of perhaps 7 or 8... the bright sunlight became dappled and filted, the water was low and clear, revealing all colours of gravel in its bed... no people, just bridsong now and again, the voice of the water moving unhurriedly but steadily, and the trees talking amongst eachother (some days more than others).

Thank you, Jan. I appreciate you sharing your story - I think all of us had a place like that when we were young.  Ours was about a block from the house - through woods to a stream.  My favorite thing was sitting on a flat rock in the middle of it.  

I rode through there not too long ago, and it's all been bulldozed and has houses on both sides. It broke my heart to think of the children who would never experience that.  I mean it was the go-to place when I was young. Even as teenagers we always went back when taking a stroll.

I appreciate you, friend. xo

Glad to see this in its finished form!  
 
Trees give so much of themselves and ask for nothing in return.  
 
"find your place and walk it"  
 
It may seem strange to say something like this after an entire poem about trees, but the paths of non humans are travelled differently. They also are terribly unique. Being yourself is rarely a thing we regard as a path. And in being yourself, you are less apt to be judgemental of others.  
 
And trees a lot to say about the human soul, which to me is some of their wisdom silently kept, yet freely available for us to glean, as it is spoken through their transformations and extension.  
 
Quite a lot packed into a handful of wonderfully penned stanzas.  
 
❤🌳📝

That is a very beautiful observation. Thank you for sharing and for always being here with love and support. You know how deeply I appreciate it and You. ❤🌳📝

I do most muchly. 😌❤📝💕

Beautiful. 😘

You are! :p

yeah, that's what eye say!

Eye Aye, Dan the man! Thank ye, my friend! xo

Aww thank you for such a wonderful reply, Sky.  It really moved me that it touched you that deeply. I do appreciate you taking the time to share your observations in such an astute way. xo

Thank you, sunsettown! Much appreciated. Too bad she's gone now. . .

It’s always good to see zephyr given an outing.  a pleasing homage to a life-form often overlooked or under- appreciated, and a crisp evocation of trees in autumn

Seacat

Haha! They do enjoy a good outing, don't they, SeaCat? Thank you so much, it's truly appreciated.

I recently watched a special on Judy Dench and her home which is full of trees in England...they used a stethoscope to listen to the internal sounds...the inner life of the trees...everyday I give thanks to the trees and birds that fill my yard. Such a wonderful treespective poem A...loved it my friend.
Balance & Harmony...Harry

Thank you, my friend. I think I write more poems about Autumn than any other season. It's just my season.  I LOVE Judy Dench—I must look up that documentary.  I just read an article where it was confirmed trees have heartbeats.  But we knew that, didn't we?

I like to see the Universe as one heart A...everything beating gently all at once.

Amen, Harry!

I'd really like to hear this performed. The language is very rich and sensual, especially the autumnal sights and sounds near the end. I think sometimes the style is a little too dense. Maybe don't use two four-syllable words in one very short line, as in "deciduous friends surrendering", as when reading it has a slight wading-through-treacle effect. Overall, though, it's a profoundly evocative piece, abstract and mystical in your usual mode.  

I may end up doing an audio of it, Jack. I'll consider it if I can find the time during this season. It's kicking my butt royally this year! But I am having a ball with it!  

I appreciate your notation regarding the density. I could say it was a metaphorical reference to the girth of trees, but I would be lying. LOL!  It's something I will keep in mind for future writes.

Thank you always for being honest. xo

I haven't written a season poem nor am I a fan
Yet this one might just change my mind...
Greatly written

Ohhhh I hope it does, poet!  Nature is a wonderful muse!

Thank you for your time and comment.  Much appreciated.

That was beautiful. It felt like a Psalm in the Book of Ahavati.
Thank you for sharing that.

That was a beautiful comment, Wally. The Book of Ahavati.

Thank you - psalms are so soothing so this was lovely to read.

Appreciate you, my friend!

Love this Ahavati the last stanza is a poem in itself, lots been said already but I couldnt walk by without looking :)

Thank you, Razz!  Much appreciated!

Dear A,

Absolute magic. The power of nature and especially trees with their elegant beauty can leave one speechless. Yet, you have managed to capture an essence and give it language in such a beautiful way! Awesome! H🌷

Thank you, Honoria.  I really appreciate your observations and the time you take to share them.  xo

Wow, Ahavati! Fantastic writing! I think you really captured the magic and "wisdom" of trees in this one :)
Made me think of ents, and how native american's believed in these wise, tree-dwelling spirits... but also of how these beautiful natural wonders which provide us with life and sustenance hold ancient history and knowledge within their DNA and their rings.
I really like the idea of trees as wisdom keepers, and felt like this was a perfect title for the poem!

The imagery invoked with this piece was magical too! From the clouds, water, and blowing leaves, to the vivid crunch of the leaves under your feet, or the smell of autumn in your nose...it's almost as if I've been transported to an ethereal realm. And let me just say, it's a lovely vacation from the winter :)

I also thought the way you described the 'magnetic pull' of the leaves towards their fallen companions was very creative and clever - and really speaks for their connectedness. This could be seen as an almost spiritual connection. Even scientifically speaking, trees actually form massive interconnected structures of roots and fungi that work in symbiosis with the trees to help to pass nutrients around where needed. Underneath the earth, these vast underground networks are like subways for sharing nutrients and information between neighboring trees... "the wood wide web" as they call it :)

Oh, and I absolutely loved your mention of the crunched leaves "releasing Autumn’s scent"... the olfactory system is often neglected with visual poetry - it's a gentle reminder that we have more than just our sense of sight when exploring these poetic worlds that we so often do. This scent is very tangible to me... Furthermore, it made me think of something that I learned in plant physiology...

Plants release chemicals called green leaf volatiles (GLVs). GLVs have many functions in the plant... serving as antibiotics, helping to heal plant wounds, and protecting the plant, but most importantly, the release of certain GLVs can serve as a signal of distress. From Lord Google himself: "When the leaf is wounded, it triggers the release of glutamate, which in turn activates a wave of calcium that travels from the local wound to other uninjured leaves as a sort of distress signal. This seems to suggest that plants have a rudimentary form of language." This chemical signal can even attract certain insects to help deal with the threat... say aphids are infesting a plant, it may send out a signal to attract grasshoppers to eat the aphids. Oh, and even cooler, GLVs have a unique "green" odor, so we can actually smell them... Next time you're cutting your grass, when you take in that pleasantly familiar smell of fresh-cut grass, just remember, that smell is your grass' way of screaming "HELP MEEEE" lol

Lastly, I think you picked the perfect ending for this piece...
The final "find your place and walk it" is kind of an open-ending, and leaves (no pun intended) room for interpretation, which I like! It can also be taken literally, but to me, it implies that we, as humans, all have a place and purpose in this world, we just have to find where we fit in. This has deeper implications, too...In society, in this world, and even in the universe. Just as the worm serves to  decompose and nutrify the soil, and also as food for the worm, we hold our place in the chain!

Okay, enough of my ramblings! Thanks for sharing this beautiful, vivid, and carefully crafted poem. I can tell you took your time finding just the right words to use, and just the right way to say them... you really captured this moment quite perfectly. I always enjoy reading you, as you're a wonderful writer :)

I hope all of that made sense... I didn't read over it again, so forgive me for any typos or parts which may be unclear!

Best wishes,

- NewB