She was an old tree. An aeon of life wrapped in her branches. Her dendrochronology had dated her to millions of years, even to the Devonian period.
The scars of her tree rings, revealed periods of extremes. Life sapping droughts and rejuvenating floods. Blistering hot and freezing cold.
She had witnessed many a spectacular event. The existence of life played out before her.
In her prime, her fruit was the most desirous. Her shade was beckoned upon.
She had not bared fruit for many years, and her leaves weren't as vibrant. Her cycle of life choked on the pollution. Her love of life hung and she stayed as she could.
She was the matriarch of what was left of the forest.
I told her I was sorry for the chains, but they were for her protection.
I would not let them take her. Cut her down like some old dead forgotten tree. She had beauty, class and distinction.
No matter how long it took, I would stay, chained to her trunk.
Read More: http://imaginifbusiness.blogspot.com/2010/06/in-figgy-forest.html
Oh...a greenie, ey! Me too :)
ReplyDeleteJulie, I wonder what you need to do to get this to flow a little better. Although, depending on the genre and voice you were trying it might be fine. I was reading it as creative but you might have meant it otherwise...therefore...forget what I just said as it doesn't stand.
It is writing like this that makes me angry at the rape of our forests and incredulous that other people do not yet comprehend the global importance of forest preservation. God forbid that we ever get to a stage where we have to teach our children how to play outside and explain to them what tree climbing is.
And....just a question to ponder: how did you decide your tree was a she (my tree is a she too)? The curtain suggests a beard so I wonder how our stories would have been different is she was a he tree?????
You know I always appreciate your comments Megan...I was trying to be frank, a snap shot in the photo album of the trees life. I was hoping it would sound hoarse and graphic.
ReplyDeleteRe: He/She. Although I was going for a snap shot piece, the warmth that a mother figure or queen encompasses, is the idea of the gender. If the tree took on a male roll, then the piece would read differently. Like an old war veteran.
P.S.
ReplyDeleteMegan...when I read it back it reads well in my head and if I read it out loud. How does it read to you, if you feel it may be lacking more flow..
It's okay. I was genre confused because of the personal way it started. I was looking for a narrative but then realised you were using a voice of authority and activism. The only change I would suggest is maybe an opening sentence that sets the stage as an activist comment?????
ReplyDeleteAnd, I agree re the gender and love the analogy to an old war veteran. If would be fun to have a gender reversal day.
I want a gender reversal day !!! :)
ReplyDeleteOkay....same pic for tomorrow but the tree is a he.
ReplyDelete