by Ruthi C.
Member since:
July 2, 2009

Hibernation ~ Woe of Sapling ~ Thursday Thoughts

November 05, 2009 11:56 AM EST
views: 134 | comments: 61

The first photo I saw today ignited thoughts of hibernation so I began to freewrite what the photo was saying to me, which I'll share with you below, and then I'll share the result of the freewrite in my daily creation with you too...

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Woe of Sapling
©Ruth Cox

Alas! Lone sapling
on an island
bending to the breeze
awaiting
Promise of the season
to strip her
of her leaves

Alas! 'Twould have been
more comforting
had another
joined her there
The core of her
would not now feel
the harshness
in the pain
that she must bare.

Alas! She wonders
had she stood
much taller
and spread her limbs
with pride
Would someone
have noticed her
and granted her
soft shade
in which to hide.

Alas! Lone sapling
must now succumb
to the fall
and chill it brings
She will hear
the winter howling
mid the whisperings
her lonely
heart sings.

 

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The original full-sized photo used in this creation and freewrite courtesy of, and can be seen, by clicking this morgueFile link

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Comments: 61

JOHN BECK Nov 5, 2009, 12:04pm EST
Sensitive take on the image and nice verse.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 12:53pm EST
John, immediately upon view o' the photo I felt such sorrow for what that poor li'l tree was sufferin' alone - needlessly!
JOHN BECK Nov 5, 2009, 2:50pm EST
That tree needed a hug.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 3:01pm EST
And you provided :-) HUGs right back to you.
Kushal Poddar Nov 5, 2009, 9:28pm EST
One for me too
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:53pm EST
And SheTree HUGs you right back kind sir!
Vivian P. Nov 5, 2009, 12:14pm EST
I am thinking of the tiny tree growing in my yard. I'm thinking I'll let it grow
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 2:18pm EST
O' yes let it live and in the spring to you it shall sing!
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Nov 5, 2009, 12:17pm EST
You have a wonderful way with words.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 2:18pm EST
Thank you Nana, I truly appreciate your words :-)
Jennifer K. Nov 5, 2009, 12:25pm EST
That was a wonderful free write Ruthi. That was great. Thank you for my daily ray o Ruthi sunshine. : )
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 2:19pm EST
Thank you Jennifer! You know, I had to work fast to get this one in before noon, just for you :-)
Jennifer K. Nov 5, 2009, 4:35pm EST
Thank you so much honey. I love my daily ray o Ruthi sunshine. It always makes my day brighter. : )
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 4:39pm EST
I know you do m'dear and I know you need it too! And that, m'dear friend, makes my day brighter too!
Jennifer K. Nov 5, 2009, 5:05pm EST
That's what friends are for. Making each others lives and days brighter. : )
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 10:48pm EST
And we do that, hooRAYo!
Jennifer K. Nov 6, 2009, 10:54am EST
Yes we do my ray o sunshine friend!!!!!!!!!!! ; )
d d. Nov 5, 2009, 2:02pm EST
you are not alone little sapling!
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 2:20pm EST
Aha! you listened to the whisperings! You are a delightful friend dd!
Dianna Doles-Petry Nov 5, 2009, 2:37pm EST
Ruthi, this made me get all teary eyed. It's beautiful and I allowed my thoughts to drift off to the women and men who stand alone in this world with little to shelter them or encourage them. I thought of my neighbor who is facing the last part of her life again once more with only the memories of her youth to comfort her in the chilling winter winds. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and putting them together so nicely.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 3:05pm EST
Sadness is felt for your neighbor lady for sure Dianna...she's lucky she has such a good neighbor to comfort her. Sorry for the blurring of your eye m'dear, I thank you.
Dianna Doles-Petry Nov 5, 2009, 8:36pm EST
Ruthi, it is I who thanks you. The pieces you share with us take time and a lot of thought to produce. I know there are some that bring you a sense of inner peace and others that are painful to write. I also know that what is being imagined in your mind as you write them might not be what we see as readers. I just appreciate them all.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:52pm EST
And some are written just to entertain or just to spread a bit o' sunshine, but as you know, not this one. Thank you Dianna :-)
Dianna Doles-Petry Nov 5, 2009, 10:51pm EST
I sure do know, Ruthi. You are more than welcome, my friend.
Till she springs back to life after the winter woes. I really like this one. I do not care for cold weather and much like your sapling, would rather hibernate than get outdoors. Nicely done, Ruthi.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 3:08pm EST
O' yes, Renda, she will surely spring back, as will you and I! Come warm weather we'll spring to life! I'm glad you enJOYed this one Renda.
Kat W. Nov 5, 2009, 3:18pm EST
One day that wee sappling will be a strong tree. Beautifully written, as always, Ruthi.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 3:23pm EST
Yes she will be! Then we can pitch our tent beneath her shade! Thank you Kat!
Chris Brockman Nov 5, 2009, 3:28pm EST
I like the freewrite as well as the distillation. The freewrite, focusing as it does more on the aloneness of the sapling than what it is she must face, has great possibilities to be finished as a longer poem. It makes me think of a teenager (sapling) having to face the isolation of going against the crowd. (Always looking to promote the individualist, the underdog, the idealist!)
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 3:34pm EST
Well read and stated Chris! Yes, this one went into my ReWrite List folder! I love your personal take on the sapling - promotion of the individualist, underdog, idealist - an ideal of worthiness from a worthy one.
Maggie May Nov 5, 2009, 3:57pm EST
Love it, and a wonderful image too.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 4:03pm EST
Yes Maggie May, the photo I could not go without using, it cried out for notice. Thank you m'dear!
Barbara H. Nov 5, 2009, 5:01pm EST
Yet, she will awaken and spread herself in Spring! Ah! The hope of springtime!
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:17pm EST
Aye, that she shall Barbara! Hope breathes life even in the dead of winter.
Len Maxwell Nov 5, 2009, 5:09pm EST
As you know, I normally write in the 1-3,000 word range and seeing how you took your freewrite and boiled it down to something so short and meaningful was fascinating to me.

Oh, just so you know, the sapling is mad at you now. He's a boy just approaching puberty and, in the middle of an identity crisis, you called him a girl.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:38pm EST
Len, I thank you much for the compliment. This is the first time I have been happy with a poem resulting from a poetic freewrite. Then again, I think it's the first time I've done a poetic freewrite, so I've naught to compare it to. They both flew flowed right out of me. I was also going to write a longer poem but opted for doing that later. I probably should have made myself do it right then so that I wouldn't lose the flow of thought and feeling I had at the time.

As for the poor lad sapling and his identity problem...at first I laughed out loud over your comment. Then I found myself scrolling up there to see if I could have used it/its and then abruptly stopped myself, as I would definitely have lost my 'hidden' ingredients had I done that...you know I do that hidden thing :-)
Angela A. Nov 5, 2009, 5:57pm EST

MySpace Comments


Thanks for posting to my group, Anythingwriting
Sorry for the generic comment, I'm very sick today.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:39pm EST
Oh Angela, that is so OK with me sweetie! Sweetie, you do not have to comment on my stuff when you are sick, gheesh woman! Feel better HUGs m'dear!
Risa G. Nov 5, 2009, 6:01pm EST
what a beautiful combination of poem and picture. Great job.
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:44pm EST
Thank you ever so much Risa.
Susan Budig Nov 5, 2009, 6:11pm EST
You have an internal alliteration in this poem that is so appealing, Ruthi. :-)
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:46pm EST
Thak you Susan. I think if I had not forced myself to stop I could have easily continued...the words kept on in my head for quite awhile, but I had company coming and had other things to do (dangit!)
Insightful poem... I like.. Very much...as I often will think of what trees and other living things might be feeling or saying
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:49pm EST
Ah! but of course you do, you are The inhabitant of Earth, you would naturally want to know such things. I'm glad you liked this one Katherine, thank you!
Kushal Poddar Nov 5, 2009, 9:28pm EST
The rythm is perfect. Your free write fulfills senses.

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977887537
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 9:55pm EST
Thank you Kushal, I would expect you to taste this one :-)
(headed your way in a moment m'friend..:-)
Dan (Cowboy Up) V. Nov 5, 2009, 9:39pm EST
Some of your best stuff I think, Ruthi! Thanks for posting it to Weather or Not? !
Dan (Cowboy Up) V. Nov 5, 2009, 9:57pm EST
Featuring this on the group today!
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 10:01pm EST
WoW, thank you Dan! Glad you enJOYed it!
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 10:16pm EST
And now SheTree smiles in the warmth o' the feature (noticed, as she would say) Thank you once again Dan!
Jennifer Lee Nov 5, 2009, 11:01pm EST
One of your best and featured in The Poet's Circle with pleasure. Happy Thursday, my dear!
Ruthi C. Nov 5, 2009, 11:09pm EST
I am not at all surprised your heart has enJOYed the Sapling m'dear! And I am honored to be featured by you in The Poet's Circle, thank You Jennifer!

I've had a day filled with many pleasures, which you've added to m'dear :-)
Janice F. Nov 6, 2009, 12:46am EST
Beautiful Verse! Poor, poor sapling! I want to wrap her up with a blanket!!
Ruthi C. Nov 6, 2009, 9:24am EST
Yes Janice! A sleeping bag perhaps. Thank you!
KC Klein Nov 6, 2009, 9:59am EST
first person the sapling telling the tale might be interesting. Just be sure to find your way home.
Ruthi C. Nov 6, 2009, 5:43pm EST
That it might Karl, thank you. I always manage to find my way home...I follow my heart :-)
Madame Butterfly ~~ mary ann d ~~ Nov 6, 2009, 4:15pm EST
I loved both the free write and the poem. Nature is inspirational in so many ways. Our thought is to provide shelter the little sapling now, but one day it will shelter others.
Ruthi C. Nov 6, 2009, 6:02pm EST
One day, indeed. Thank you Mary Ann!
Elizabeth R. Nov 6, 2009, 5:25pm EST
You are so talented, Ruthi. Love the free write and the poem. Thank you.
Ruthi C. Nov 6, 2009, 6:03pm EST
I'm glad you enJOYed them both m'dear, thank you!
Elizabeth R. Nov 6, 2009, 6:28pm EST
You are more than welcome, Ruthi.

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