Liz’s Woodpeckered Tree – HOUR TEN

    

Liz’s Woodpeckered Tree

(Inspired by my painting, LIZ’S WOODPECKERED TREE
and from 2013 and a photo taken of same tree in Spring 2021)

 

Over 50 years ago you stood proud

arising from rocks, erect and full of life

yet time brought on the ravages of age

 

You evolved into a host for creepy, crawly things

a feast offered up for woodpeckers

who drilled your woody flesh and drained you of life

 

Today you rest upon the waters

waves lash you and strip away what bark remains,

yet you hang on, your roots held deep beneath the rocky shore.

 

This is tenacity, endurance, strength.

Against all odds, season after season, you remain

an icon to keeping on no matter the challenges we face.

 

 

 

10 thoughts on “Liz’s Woodpeckered Tree – HOUR TEN

  1. This is beautiful Wendy! As I was reading it, I was transported over many years as my parents lived in Whitestone and MacKellar and then Parry Sound for over 30 years and I have done a lot of canoeing in these places during that time. As you
    beautifully described the tree changing…the bark in the water and the roots…so many images drifted to the surface. Resilience of life is amazing and thank you for this wonderful reminder.

  2. How wonderful that you shared your paintings along with your words. You should submit one for the picture prompts next year – I loved this piece not only for how it elevated the painting but also, for how it reflected the best of what we’ve done this past year with ‘weathering’ the pandemic and how it is like a reminder to go on and keep working our way through!!

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