Firewood
For two years the oak
loomed, leafless.
We had aged
together, but somehow
I survived the drought
and ice storms, the
regret and wilt,
the explosions within,
and it did not.
I do not know
the rituals of trees,
how they mourn
a passing, or if
the sighs I hear
betray only my own
frailties, but even
as I fuel the saw and
tighten the chain,
I look carefully
for new growth.
“Firewood” is included in my forthcoming chapbook, From Every Moment a Second, available for pre-publication order (shipping in October) at Finishing Line Press.
O at the Edges 
Great poem!
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Thank you, Andrew.
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You’re welcome.
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Maybe they mourn like elephants, deeply, cyclically. Returning to the same spot yearly. Silent contemplations; releasing leaves to accompany them on their journey… Your words stimulate the synapsis. Great poem!
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I, too, think it would be slow, cyclical. And thanks for your kind comments.
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You’re welcome.
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Wonderful, with wooden undertones 🙂
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Ha! Thank you, Diana.
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Loved it Robert!!
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Thanks, Fiza. Much appreciated.
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I feel this one, Bob. Just a month or so ago, I noticed the towering SIberian elm that has been dead for two years (multiple dessicated trunks chainsawed last summer) seems to be sending up new growth from her roots. It’s all I can do to resist throwing a baby shower..
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We lost so many live oaks to a combination of drought and freezes! Some of the losses were painful. I always look for new growth. 🙂
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I truly love this, Robert. Have often wondered the same about dead trees, and always look for some sign of new growth before giving up on them. You’ve written this with a certain tenderness and it’s beautiful and moving.
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Thank you, Betty. I do love and mourn our trees.
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Me too. You are kindred spirit. 🌲
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I think so, too.
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A great poem, Robert! I can see it now! Perhaps you should have looked for an acorn!!
Dwight
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It’s hard to replace those 50-year old trees!
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Not in our lifetime! Sad to see them go!!
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Though in our present climate, I’m not certain there is much future for live oaks in our area. Sad.
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Oh, Robert, ashes to ashes, thus we go.
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Yes, indeed!
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Excellent poem…u r awesome sir
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Thank you, Boss. You are very kind.
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Such a sad story, but beautifully written. Maybe, somewhere, your oak knows someone cared enough to write a poem.
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At the very least it will heat our house…
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Lovely
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Thank you, Derrick.
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Beautiful. I mourn the death of any living thing. I too wield the saw with reluctance; trees have so many faces.
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I generally don’t cut down living trees, especially oaks. But the drought did a number on our trees, and we have many damaged and dead trees. Sad.
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Makes me think of my times in the forest or fields camping, open fire crackling… by the river ❤
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We’ve spent many hours staring into fires, which serve as our television on our country property.
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I was at a Puja (fire ceremony) last night in the woods in Germany, the large and low glowing yellow moon peaking between the trees. It was magical! We, wood and humans, all essentially are made from the same material. In cutting down trees we are hurting ourselves yet at the same time without trees and their fire burning nature and warmth, we would never have survived in the first place.
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We are carbon…
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Wonderful poem. When we had to have 3 trees cut down several years ago from a bad ice storm I mourned those trees in my own way. The one gone from the front yard still makes me sad. Peace
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We have control over so little in our lives! Like the weather!
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Very true!
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I enjoyed this.
There have been times when it might as well have been a chainsaw ripping away parts of my life. Or so it seemed. I survived, and that’s what is important.
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I hear you, Ken.
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Touching poem!!
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Thanks very much!
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There is always new growth.
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But not in the fireplace!
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Even there! The fire grows and shrinks, the smoke ascends, the ashes scatter.
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You, sir, are an optimist. I salute you! 🙂
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Very touching. I understand the pain in considering putting to death something that you’re not sure if it’s still, somewhere, alive.
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I may have a lot of chain sawing to do this fall. I’ve waited far too long on some of these…
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Read it again after few days
And its still awesome
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So pleased you still feel that way.
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Hi! Great poem! I noticed you have a “like” button on your email notifications. Most people don’t seem to, and I don’t…and I don’t know how to phrase the question, so no luck searching so far. Is it one of the plug-ins?
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Hi Stephanie. I haven’t a clue how or why the “like” button appears on my email notifications. It shouldn’t be a plug-in, as I’ve very few of those.
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Hey! I never got your reponse somehow! Thanks for the answer. I’m still working on this problem.
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Good luck!
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