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Sitting and Thinking About Women and Men

Submitted by Miserably Happy on Mon, 2020-02-17 07:51

There is a thing about Maple Leaves
That make them better than Oak Leaves
The Oak trees know this and are jealous
The Maples know this and quietly wish the Oaks well
People are split in their affiliations
The trees have a much deeper, quieter nature
The Oaks maintain their dignity, grace and sense of humor
by using their jealousy to fuel their drive to be
the greatest trees in the forest
that will be the second choice of the lumberman.

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Comments

Miserably Happy

Mon, 2020-02-17 10:20

Thanks for your comments Mark. I am glad you enjoyed the poem. I got lucky in my comparison of maples and oaks. The words came without previous knowledge of their properties. (Except for leaf shapes) I'm another example of people learning from trees and people.

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Geezer

Mon, 2020-02-17 09:27

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Maple has such a sweet nature and the Oak is strong and proud. With the advent of power tools, the demand for Oak has increased some, but as Mark says, it is still difficult to work with on the personal level. I don't know many carvers that choose Oak to work with. I like that you have the nature to see trees in a different light than a lot of younger people. I'm not sure if the
world of plastic has made it better, for the decrease in usage of wood, because of the difficulty of getting rid of it when it's usefulness is done, but I guess the trees can be glad. All-in-all, a nice work! But what has your title have to do with the poem?
~ Geezer.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

Miserably Happy

Mon, 2020-02-17 10:14

I have to admit I didn't really have much knowledge about the characteristics of Maples or Oaks.
The words came from somewhere, and I'm grateful for it. The patience of nature vs the mad rush of humanity I guess is where the title lays in the process. The oak's envy is given a chance to become a positive. Thanks for your input, and more ways to think about those majestic trees!, from a mostly metaphor type.

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Eumolpus

Tue, 2020-02-18 17:49

Eumolpus's picture

whereas it's nice to know the scientific/practical difference between the trees, here it doesn't matter...to me the point of the poem is that you have so cleverly personified the different types of trees into male and female, and have fun with the play of the sexes.
Not sure I totally grasp the end. the last line is most important, and the line's meter is flat, ending on "lumberman", too many accents in the final word. But other than that, introducing and the idea of chopping down these magnificent trees after the play of images about them, and the poems title...I just left the poem not sure of the ultimate intent.

..

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

Miserably Happy

Sat, 2020-02-22 09:04

Thanks Eumolpus for your comments. My intent for the ending was that being on top is great but there are things the top spot will never know, or may miss now that they have ascended. I take your meaning about the flat meter. It is good to have input. When I have presented poems orally that has been a major block to audience understanding. Often I am OK with odd timing and hope that it creates curiosity. Ultimately, I think my intent was to blur the edges we have built between us and our environment. Sentient beings all living together learning and teaching.
Thanks again!

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lovedly

Wed, 2020-02-19 04:05

lovedly's picture

Trees we have descended from
O poet
Miserable
be Happy
you inadvertently have defined humanity

two kinds of folks
irrespective of sex
TOUGH as you know now
OAKS
and
SOFT
as all know
Maples
soft juices
ask any Canadian
will ye
man or woman
is only coz of earlier folks
suppression
Well done

Miserably Happy

Sat, 2020-02-22 09:17

Lovedly, A poem for a poem, what a great deal!
I'll say hello to the trees in my yard for you:)

Inadvertently? yes and no, it's fun seeing how many ways there are to see things.

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