Thursday 28 November 2013

Replanting the Great Caldonian Forest by Simon Kewin


In those days, Scots Pines lawned the Highlands
The Mesolithic Marten that ran through the branches
Could see both seas and never leave the touching leaves
Of giant cathedralling trees, shepherding their green,
Endless, restless hush, that rustled with death and life
>
With only island peaks visible above the flood
The Cairngorm Archipelago, the Cuillin Ridge Atoll
Until, in that first great clearance of the land,
By axe and ovine tooth, numberless trees fell one by one
Strewn like jackstraws, the devil playing at dominoes
>
Not that the mountains noticed the denudation
To them all living things are just fluff and dust
Titanic, elemental, their minds on bigger matters,
They grind each other's gradients, clash with the clouds,
Try to overtower the moon and pierce the sun
>
But sitting here on Sgurr an Airgid
It seems a shame all those trees are gone
And time that something was done
So I finish my apple and hurl the core,
Packed with its seeds, onto some fertile ground
And think to myself
That at least it's begun.

Simon Kewin, UK 

4 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Simon Kewin said...

Many thanks for publishing my poem today, and I hope everyone enjoys it. It is, incidentally, a true story - I did sit atop that Scottish mountain and do that with my apple. I haven't been back recently to see if it has taken root though...

Crafty Green Poet said...

Simon writes fantasy, SF, mainstream and some stories that can’t make their minds up. He lives in England with Alison and their daughters Eleanor and Rose. His fantasy novel Engn was recently published by December House and his fantasy novel Hedge Witch is due to be published in 2014 by Morrigan Books. Find him at simonkewin.co.uk.

Jinksy said...

Perhaps you might carry some pine cones in your pockets, as well as apples? :) I love the thought that maybe you started an orchard.