From Tracie: Quiet Tree

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Quiet Tree

I feel quiet this week.

Not sad, depressed, or lonely.

Just quiet.

In the mornings I make a small slit in the curtains.

From where I sit at my desk, I can see a patch of sky. A white fence. A palm tree. Cars are barely visible through the fence slats as they rush by, but the tree catches most of my attention. It is tall and straight. The sun reflects off the pool, and plays on its bark.

It is this tree I stare at when I am searching for a word.

It is this tree I stare at when I am anxious or scared.

I focus on it when everything around us is spinning out of control.

It stands alone.

Quiet, like me.

Strong, like me.

Unmoving, like me.

Rooted firmly, but not too firmly. Also, like me.

It does not really belong here, in this city place. I feel it would have chosen to be planted somewhere else if anyone had bothered to consult it.

Trimmed tightly. Bothered by people walking by, and the cars that rush. Wearing deep scars where it has been cut and hit.


Yet it stands. Firm. Strong. Alive.

Bending in the wind, but not breaking.

The sun plays across its bark as it reaches to a blue sky.

This city place will not keep it from being beautiful.

It will not steal its strength.


11 comments:

  1. That tree surely gives a lot of stability. This was very thoughtful, Tracie.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful Tracie. And hauntingly sad.-Ashley

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very hauntingly written :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful and filled with strength and resolve. Notice it reaches skyward for that strength as well.. Love this Tracie..

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am like you - I bend in the wind - but I have been blessed enough not to break. Lol.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful. I feel quiet today. And it's the first time I've felt that way in months.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful. I hope I can write some poignant thoughts like this one about the view outside my window- the community garbage bin. NOT!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I hope that in your quiet, you find something more, something poignant. Something to hold onto. Yes, you are strong. Most certainly so.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gorgeous writing. I love the tree image. Rooted but not so firmly that we can't bend with life as needed. Enjoy your quiet day and your loud days and all of your days. xo

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ahh... and THIS is why I love this blog world. Because of writers like you that share gems like this.

    Beautiful Tracie. Simply breathtaking.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lovely...AND it's a palm tree! Hello!

    ReplyDelete