A Poet's Blog: Roger N.Taber shares his thoughts & poems...

Thoughts and observations by English poet Roger N. Taber, a retired librarian and poet-novelist.- "Ethnicity, Religion, Gender, Sexuality ... these are but parts of a whole. It is the whole that counts." RNT [NB While I have no wish to create a social network, I will always reply to critical emails about my poetry. Contact: rogertab@aol.com].

Name:
Location: London, United Kingdom

Sadly, a bad fall in 2012 has left me with a mobility problem, and being diagnosed with prostate cancer the same year hasn't helped, but I get out and about with my trusty walking stick as much as I can, take each day as it comes and try to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life. Many of my poems reflect the need to nurture a positive-thinking mindset whatever life throws at us.

Saturday, 2 May 2020

Engaging with Veterans OR Questions left Hanging on (Family) Trees

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

“We admit that we are like apes, but we seldom realise that we are apes.
Richard Dawkins, A Devil's Chaplain:Reflections on Hope, Lies, Science and Love

“To dwellers in a wood, almost every species of tree has its voice as well as its feature.”
Thomas Hardy, Under the Greenwood Tree

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."
- William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida

From my window, I can easily make out two trees, facing each other across a road; no imagination can fail to respond to nature, and mine is no exception. Among their leaves and branches, heads emerge closely resembling apes.

During the UK lock-down, I have engaged with these head shapes; as the wind blows, I is as if they are engaging in conversation and my muse frequently enjoyed listening-in. Could this be   because I live alone and missing social interaction with friends, I ask myself, or am I losing more than my share of marbles? We only have to read history books to discover that so many questions are left hanging … or listen in to tree apes.

ENGAGING WITH VETERANS or NATURE AND HUMAN NATURE, QUESTIONS LEFT HANGING ON (FAMILY) TREES

Something about certain shapes in our trees
against a lively backcloth of sky
suggests a Planet of Apes lasting centuries?

Life forces everywhere, aping personalities
not unfamiliar to the human eye;
something about certain shapes in our trees

Eyes, noses, mouths, courtesy of arty leaves
lends imagination a reality by and by,
suggests a Planet of Apes lasting centuries?

Earth Mother, mulling on human ingenuities
(among them, the bare faced lie);
something about certain shapes in our trees

Humankind, all but bringing nature to its knees,
whisperings in the wind’s weepy sigh,
suggests a Planet of Apes lasting centuries?

Enter, humanity obsessed with potential enemies
(more power to the elbow than any sky);
something about certain shapes in our trees
suggests a Planet of Apes lasting centuries?

Copyright R. N. Taber, 2020

Note: Composed May 1st  during the UK  lockdown]

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