Tree Post

I got here late

The only seat available was the one no one wanted
All chairs face the stage, have a view of the author
Performance visible to most, if only through
wagging heads, at the least a peek of a name
decent money was used for admission

MY chair faced square

onto the flat side of a wide, wooden support beam.

There was no view of anything but the beam

There was no reason to place a chair here

My friend asked

“Can you see? Should we move?”

“No”, I lied, “I’m fine.”

So, I stared at the beam, for a half hour, then another

began to memorize the grain patterns in the wood

Someone had stapled something to the beam, many times

A smash of old blackened gum pressed into a small knot

smooth sides needed, gum was the answer

I wanted to touch the tree beam

I wanted to touch it, shake the hand of this new friend

Wonder if I ran my hand down against the grain, would a splinter, a quick prick, check for life If fingers rub sideways, along the side, would each ring show me a ridge, read like a romantic drama written in Braille This beam, now My beam, an old beam in an old building basement is large enough, with the help of five others to keep three stories erect for eighty-six years.

Dents

Scratches

Stains

Beauty

For two hours I stare at The Beam

My beam, once a tree, played me a story

More interesting than the words happening beyond my sight

by a walker who moves too quickly to grow roots

The sound of which I found easy to ignore,

wind through branches imagined are easy to understand

Rings cut across show as vertical stripes, when industry sawed

your heart square, changed your shape forever, no one asked permission

Sap and air darken your flesh!

Bark grows no more!

I paid to hear another read

I paid to hear a tree speak

Afterwards the author holds a book signing

I wait as my friend stands in a long line

purchased book in hand

I dare not tell the author that I found

a wooden support beam more interesting that their book

…but I wanted to.

***

Published by Shannon Laws

Like my writing? Want to hear me read my poetry? Please visit https://chickadeeproductions.bandcamp.com/releases and download some today. Only $1.00 a poem! Shannon Laws is a Pacific Northwest poet. Her story-telling poetry has touched many hearts and minds. She is the author of four poetry books, the most recent “Fallen” published by Independent Writer’s Studio Press. Shannon has received two Mayor’s Arts Awards and the Community Champion Award for promoting local artists on community radio and encouraging peace and understanding through community poetry events. She makes her home in Bellingham, Washington, USA. View more posts

2 thoughts on “Tree Post”

There you go, finding merriment in what the universe lays before you at any given moment, making do with the shadow side of this challenging life and writing so beautifully about it.

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