A Tree Trunk Seat

A Tree Trunk Seat
A Tree Trunk Seat

A Tree Trunk Seat

(For Gary Snyder)

1

Winding grains of time

under a crystalline sky

we have walked along these paths

trunk sits as big rock

wide muddy makes up this world

wandering aimless through muck.

 

Wonder where you are

agony, madness, or free

additions of each broken year

memory troubles

the children have had children

the saplings are now adult.

 

Light splits open field

beautiful body of wood

descend through these ancient beds

tiny in the heights

maybe start from this nothing

where once stood complexity.

 

Grave of many heirs

along each circular path

a twisting outward spiral

a wren lands to sing

songs that are here then are gone

songs that simply purify.

 

Here to sit upon

sap from ancient still remains

smooth stretch of delicate down

filters into air

this trunk a centuries work

once a tree witnessed an axe.

 

On trunk nebula

to walk up and across on

this curse on humanity

trunk laughs at man’s trails

nearby a hawk on boulder

moves ever slightly towards wren.

 

2

A man sits on trunk

woodpecker no longer near

man begins to write poems

unspeakably slow

layers and layers held tight

within this book of trees life.

 

Maybe this wisdom

cracks of red dry rot powder

sharp top and jagged as saw

destructive termites

feathers from old migrations

trunk gave up long time ago.

 

On the ground coiled snake

next door manzanita bush

a long slow meaningful life

seasons in the wood

flowers fade and bloom again

trunk stood silver in the sun.

 

He sits cross-legged

pledged alliance to rot

will sit overnight in the rain

to hear deer noises

crackling in the bushes

locked never lifted to air.

 

Solid heart wood cores

count dark rings to calculate

total number of the years

sit watch cycles

here from stone to flesh to ground

where love is the true wisdom.

 

On slope near rock edge

corruption, decay, and death

he has stopped to think of these

dream people walking

deep in the heart of the wood

bare and open here alone.

For more works like A Tree Trunk Seat and other works by this author visit
Jamie Lee Hamann Author Page

You can also find works by Jamie Lee Hamann on HubPages

 

 

Jamie Lee Hamann
Latest posts by Jamie Lee Hamann (see all)
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Jamie Lee Hamann

My name is Jamie Lee Hamann and I have a passion for writing short fiction and poetry. I started writing for TCE around 2015 and since then I have finished seven collections of poetry and plans for more. I currently live in Lemmon Valley NV with my family. If you desire to find my other work on the internet feel free to stop by my website simplepoetics.weebly.com. The website offers articles on poetry, poems, and links to all my other writing.

4 thoughts on “A Tree Trunk Seat

  • January 16, 2023 at 8:58 PM
    Permalink

    These are just magical verses Jamie. I can feel the trunk growing older in certain spots. I’ve always had a tree trunk in my.backyard I used to sit on and contemplate a very many things. Nice work.

    Reply
  • January 16, 2023 at 9:04 PM
    Permalink

    An excellent read, Jamie. I love old tree stumps to sit on as stools or use to hold plant pots etc.

    Reply
  • January 17, 2023 at 8:58 AM
    Permalink

    Well done, Jamie. Your skillful expressions create a vivid imagery of the stump and the life that goes on around it.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

Our cookie settings are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. By continuing to browse this website you are accepting our cookie policy.

Close