When a tree holds
shape of the untamed wind,
when its roots hold life
amid soulless rocks,
and,
seeking to touch a cloud,
it rises,
solitary,
unambiguous,
untimid,
certain somehow
in its very self,
should we
— do we dare to —
hold to hope?
With thanks to Susan Rushton for this eloquent image.
Oddments 
July 9, 2023 at 4:56 pm
I totally agree with you Maureen, this is an eloquent image…and your poem is equally eloquent. Perfect union!
I am in constant awe of people like you who have the creative ability to write stories and poems. You have quite a gift and you use it well. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. It’s always a joy to see you in my In Box! I just can’t figure out how you fit! 🥴
Ginger
July 9, 2023 at 5:08 pm
Thank you, Ginger! This image has been poking at me for a long while; sometimes it takes forever for any words to come. This one was to me especially meaningful as I try to grapple with the news that comes at us. Some days I don’t see hope; some days I do. I’m probably not alone in that.
July 9, 2023 at 6:33 pm
Indeed, you are not alone. More and more often I find myself glad that I’m in my twilight years because I don’t like where our world is or where it seems to be going. But I also find when things seems hopeless, something comes along that gives me a burst of hope! Maybe it’s always been this way and I never took the time to notice.
How
Old
People
Endure
Ginger
July 9, 2023 at 5:06 pm
Ditto what Ginger said! Also, holding on to hope is what gets us to put our feet on the floor every morning and give it our best shot, right? Hope is a good thing. Thank you for this as I drink my afternoon coffee. You made it more enjoyable by far.
July 9, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Thanks, Judy! Hope is hard to come by these days, and I grab it when and where I can. I loved this brave tree.
July 9, 2023 at 5:13 pm
That tree reminded me of the aging process. Sometimes, it feels pretty lonely on that aging highway we travel with all its speed bumps and pot holes. 🙂
July 9, 2023 at 5:15 pm
A good insight. And we certainly show the effects of the winds of life. I think it feels lonely because it is. Let’s hope our roots hold.
July 9, 2023 at 5:57 pm
And thank you for your lovely words. There are many “ordinary” scenes in nature that we can turn to for inspiration.
July 9, 2023 at 6:07 pm
You are very right on that, Dan. I’m grateful for all these vignettes, and I am equally grateful for the sharp-eyed photographers I know! You and Maddie sure found some beauties!
July 9, 2023 at 6:01 pm
Hope has always earned its name. What beautiful, encouraging verse!
July 9, 2023 at 6:08 pm
Thanks, Carol! Hope is hard to come by these days, and I appreciate the prods to notice it.
July 9, 2023 at 6:56 pm
So do we — thank you, Maureen! 😊
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July 12, 2023 at 12:56 pm
I think we dare. I recently came across a word you might like that I think applies to this tree – krummholz – German for twisted wood. It is said that some of these trees live, growing slowly ‘on the edge’, for significantly longer than trees that shot up in easier, more amenable surroundings.
I found myself quite shocked by ‘soulless rocks’. Though I can’t really argue against that, it was pleasing to discover that, at some level at least, I clearly think rocks have souls!
July 12, 2023 at 8:13 pm
How very interesting. I must think about that. I suppose one can argue about the life that goes into the composition of a rock. I’m glad you think we dare. As for krummholz, you are right: I like it! So life on the edge makes it live longer. Something else to mull over.
July 16, 2023 at 11:56 am
Thanks for sharing the picture and your text. The dead rocks and the living tree – what an archetypal picture.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
July 16, 2023 at 6:52 pm
Thanks for leaving your thought. Susan is a gifted photographer!