Saturday, March 23, 2013

Cedar

Cedar

Moonlight draws
me forth onto the porch
into the garden.
A pungent sap fills the air.

The bittersweet vine
winks its orange eye--
as it strangles the gnarled
branches of the cedar.

Like the vine, life traps
me, acrid sweat leaks
from my eyes, fills my mouth
with the taste of loss.

Lacey boughs tremble.
Wrens sheltered
in the cedar's heart,
chirp and fly away.

If only I could follow them
into the feathered clouds of dawn.
If only I too were free.

3/2013

photo.  winter cedar at sunset

11 comments:

Lynn Cohen said...

What a clear picture of where you are in life right now.
Poignant poem, Suki!
Wishing you well, and great success with your book!

Lynn Cohen said...

PS I just successfully ordered a copy of your book!
What exactly is a Chap book?
I look forward to reading it.

soulbrush said...

WOW! and WOW again. xxx

Mystic Meandering said...

Oooo - goosebumps with your poem this morning Suki! I feel your sense of loss and despair through your words, slicing through me... But what a beautiful sunset! The "heavens" embrace you - always...

sukipoet said...

Lynn and all those who want to know. A chapbook is a small book of around ten pages folded over to make 40 pages. It is folded and staple bound. Chapbooks have been in existence for many many years and were once a popular way to make a book easily. And are again quite popular re: bookmaking methods.

Thanks Lynn for you order. I appreciate your support.

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

Strong and heartfelt...I hope this piece is in your chapbook...I have placed my order and look forward to receiving your words!

Lynne with an e said...

Lovely photo and heart-touching poem of longing and being tethered. This feeling is not attached to any particular age, but seems to recur throughout one's life...At least, that has been my experience. I can smell the cedar and hear the birds and feel the longing to fly free that your words evoke.

Anne Higgins said...

Stumbled upon your blog tonight and liked it very much. I will keep visiting.
This most recent poem and photo are haunting.

Best wishes from Anne

sukipoet said...

Thank you Blue Sky for your kind words and for your support of me as poet. I hope you enjoy my book.

Thanks Loucacio. You always have such interesting comments about my poems. I appreciate your words.

And thanks Anne for reading my blog.

Robin said...

Ah, no....my original comment appears to have vanished into the *Blogger Stratosphere*... the photo is truly breathtaking...the colours, the clouds, the snow....so many textures....JUST like your poem...

Don't EVER doubt you are a Poet...you ARE! (And a good photographer too!)

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

Unknown said...

The vine in wrapping up the tree .... It is something I see a lot here in the land of firs and cedars .... It always makes me want to go whack at the base of the vine ... The sleazy opportunist in the plant world. I hope your vine gets a good whacking and your branches move more freely. The birds are a good companion - seeking out the steadfast cedar for shelter.