Ancient eucalyptus tree.
Pock marked bark-skin,
peeling, barren in places,
adds beauty to greening canyon.
Elderly man in thick glasses,
blue-veined hands hanging limply,
shuffles across street.
Driver sits, hand poised over horn.
Musing, I ponder our value system.
We should learn from nature.
Written for Quadrille Monday at dVerse where the word to use (or a form of the word) in our exactly 144 word poem sans title is “muse.”
Photos taken yesterday from our patio, which opens to a beautiful canyon. We’re in an apartment rental in sunny San Diego until early March, escaping Boston’s winter (as in 11.2 inches of snow on Friday!).
lillian the home poet 
Amazing😊
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Yes, if we saw people like trees we would shift the values…
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What a wonderful direction this poem goes, really like the point you made and how you made it….
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My goodness such a breathtaking view, Lillian! 😀 Yes, we should learn more from Nature. 💝💝
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I simply love this. Such a beautiful image, and important wisdom here.
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Amen.
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Beautiful trees! If our society was able to look beyond utilitarianism we might have a chance.
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Love it. We can learn much from nature.
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Musing, I ponder our value system.
We should learn from nature.
That is right Lillian! Things will fall into place as nature wants it. Sadly, Man has to come in between and mess things up. Good observation Ma’am!
Hank
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I like the direction you went in this poem. Lovely.
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Eloquent musings. You’ve worked a life lesson while revealing your muse of being in the moment. Love this one.
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I am often musing and yes, we can learn from nature.
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Yes, we can learn from nature, indeed. I love what you did with this, Lillian.
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Nature has so much to teach us. Great pictures too!
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so much wisdom in the piece, Lillian – I love it.
❤
David
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Such wisdom in your words and sadly we ignore nature’s lessons. Lillian, love this.
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The lesson of that lovely old tree is priceless.
Imagine how much good it has provided to this world. I adore it. The part about that driver Saddens me.
Poor soul. I wonder about his values.
That impatient person most likely hasn’t heard about the 36 righteous being around us at any given time. These beings are regular people that don’t call attention on themselves. They’re here — the myth goes— to help mend tears and wounds of separateness. Ours.
No one knows who they are. Which is Precisely why we need to be patient with each other. Especially the lowly.
The Lamed Vavniks: I love that story.
Sorry about how lengthy this got. I just had to share this.
Thanks Lillian. Lovely short story that brought me here. TY.
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I love that so many poets turned to the natural world for this prompt. That so many minds are inspired, and seek, the primal is very encouraging.
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So agree with this Lillian, speaks resonance for me, and yes to that last line (If only).
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The image of the blue veined skin took me to an image of root systems, and the web of veins in a leaf. Beautifully painted.
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