Friday, June 8, 2012

Leaning


She is bent now
like a tree that leans
paying homage to the earth.

She spins yarns of days
on Colorado plains.
She rode fierce on a horse
putting cattle in their place.

She loved a preacher
in a time when a woman,
stood by her man
like a dress in the door.

She was the stronger,
of that he was sure
and we, too.

She doesn't say 
but we know she is ready. 
Her body betrays her, 
and hurts.

She'll leave us adrift
and we'll wonder
if there's life
beyond the leaning tree.
Tree photo by Luke Andrew Scowen Creative Commons via flickr
www.flickr.com/lukeas09

"She" was my grandmother, a towering tree till she died.

In response to an Every Day Poems prompt to write a poem using
the phrase "beyond the leaning tree"

2 comments:

  1. You have a gift with prose, grace, and a way with words that is moving - truly!

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    Replies
    1. You have the gift of encouragement-truly! Thanks for those words. BTW, I'm also a beneficiary of your gifts in the kitchen. XO

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