Thrive

[Colm Roe]

We agate our layers,
spread them thin.

Build new mountains
granite or limestone,
some wear, some hold.

Through our fissures, filaments
seize fractured chances
and grip.

Pine trees grow 
above the snow line,
and even below
in arid rock
 
they thrive.

 

[Tracy Mitchell]

Unless I am misreading this, you have written an optimistic poem, Colm, even though the new growth gains foothold in our fissures.  

Not sold on 'agate' as verb, but am still cogitating on it.  The rest of the poem flows so nicely.  

Cheers.

T

[Colm Roe]

Inspired by Turkey, (and I'm sure many other places) it's so dry, and yet these trees abound, growing in rock.
Yeah, agate might be pushing the poetic licence thing...but you know me...every noun is just an undiscovered verb 
Glad you (mostly) approve. 

[Dave]

This is not one of your best IMO Colm. It is too obvious what you say and while it flows it creates too many statements which have the effect of leaving the reader out. I cant see what you describe and the poem leaves me at a disadvantage.

[Colm Roe]

This is not one of your best IMO Colm. It is too obvious what you say and while it flows it creates too many statements which have the effect of leaving the reader out. I cant see what you describe and the poem leaves me at a disadvantage.

Thanks for taking the time to read this Dave.
I'm disappointed you felt left out, it is, about you, me, them...the human condition.
 

[Dave]

Sorry Colm something about the style. Tells me too much. It feels to me that it talks about what it shows rather than shows it.

[indar]

This might be a companion piece to one of your earlier posts re grains of sand settling downstream in a canyon (sorry if I butchered that--too lazy to check back for it---it's hot out). I almost want a more sedimentary verb than "agate"    Actually "we agate our layers" rummages up a rather odd visual to me---sort of a nature themed version of transformers

As to other elements of the poem, I think I've mentioned before a holocaust survivor artist who planted acorns in holes he drilled in huge boulders. After his death the oaks continue to crack those boulders open and seek the ground. 

Both his work and your poem speaks of the indomitability of the life-force

[Colm Roe]

Yeah, I think I'm becoming a two trick pony...either death or sediment 
Anywho, I'm glad you got what I intended.

[Tim J Brennan]

Hi, Colm,

I actually like broad, spectral, philosophical type themes b/c I'm not very good at them. That being said, I do like this one but a bit abstract. At first read I thought it was about the scourge of fracking or raping the landscape somehow through man's ignorance.

And maybe it is b/c I'm still thinking that way. Interpretation is so fun.

Write on!!