Saturday, February 2, 2013

A Raintree


                                                                                       Picture by Tau'olunga
Image: A Raintree at The Post Office of Nuku'alofa
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Process note:  There was a row of tall raintrees in my old neighborhood which
must have been about 80 years by now.  They were already there for as long as I could
remember and still standing though some made way for development. The pic above
is similar to those that we had.

Casting a net on the outset
Barely on the outskirts of imagination
Amidst a pall of outward intrusion
A smokescreen of shadowy apparition

Pungent in a quaint whiff of cool breeze
Purporting of quiet movements
In intermittent bright and dark shadows
The swarthy old raintree extending
a canopy over the neighborhood

Unabated it stood tall and menacing
In sudden bright sunshine or drab stupor
Smirking in light smog and drowsiness
A shrewd measure of strength

Written for Karin's hosting at D'Verse of Poetics of Groundhog Day - Bright Shadow

26 comments:

  1. The tree looks a bit menacing, but also VERY strong, Hank. As I think about it, perhaps it is not unusual that the two qualities go hand in hand. Loved how you described the canopy over the neighborhood.

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  2. dude...now that is a tree....i think i might have got hurt trying to climb to the top...ha...that is huge...menacing is a great word for it...

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  3. Wow that is sure a tree to see. No on would want to mess with such a giant.

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  4. i can see the shadows and light in the tree;)

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  5. Such a super lovely poem, Hank. I am honored that you included it. It just has such a lovely feel of place and time. k.

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  6. ...wow..that was a huge tree... i had never such a huge tree live in my life...i would like to climb on it and see the world up there... funny how i once dreamt of living in a tree house with my ever desired pet Koalas & pandas... that would be nice & super cool if it happens for real...but who knows...anything could happen...hehe... trees are like brave knights of war...always noble.. always standing , fighting 'til the very last of wars... smiles...

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  7. Love your final line


    Sending Aloha to YOU
    from Honolulu,
    Comfort Spiral
    ~ > < } } ( ° >

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  8. I love trees... they are a measure of strength... and stability.

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  9. What a grand tree! I enjoyed the poem very much..

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  10. What a tragedy that they murdered its magnificent brothers.
    The destruction caused by development and greed is unforgiveable!

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  11. A wonderful tree...tree's do have that menacing quality sometimes, there's so much personality to them. I really loved you homage to the trees.

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  12. I had never heard of a raintree so I looked them up. They look delightful.

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  13. what a wonderful tree..looks so majestic and i can imagine how wonderful it must be to sit in its shade on a hot day..

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  14. Superb - and I'd never even heard of a rain tree. A delightful post.

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  15. I really enjoyed that. A fine mix of feelings for those trees.
    Here's a pic of a tree in my backyard that also inspired a poem.
    Again, thanx for this.

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  16. What a big and beautiful tree ~ Enjoyed this Hank ~

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  17. Thank you hank for the picture of that huge tree, but mostly for your beautiful words to describe it.

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  18. In would love to see one of these trees in person someday. Beautiful writing as always Hank.

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  19. I too have never heard of a 'raintree' -- even the name stirs the imagination.

    Love the play of shadows and strength.

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  20. raintree? new to me... cool info... love the way you did this Pare!

    Pareng JJ

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  21. i love "a smoke screen of shadowy apparition"


    hades gate

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  22. always feel sad when trees are cut down to make way for 'development'..
    loved the words, the photo too
    the raintree reminds me of the banyan tree in India..

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  23. trees rock. i love the character you bring to your tree poem

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