Notes About The Poem
Interesting how a certain memory can take on a life of its own.

There Once Did Live

There Once Did Live...
                        by Odin Roark

There once did live
This tree now of charred tenacity
With crumbling faithful statue of strength
Steadfastly stationed atop its roots

The stone statue of Hercules
Father placed so long ago
Now defaced with apple in his mouth
Made buffoon by children
Enjoying hijinks of youth

There once did live
My fortressed escape
With hammered sticks as steps
Giving flight from reality
My stronghold in the sky

This tree that housed so many dreams
Now but a burned out cavity
Remains of remembered life
Entombed by climbing vines
 
Flowered embracing round its trunk
Reaching up left and right
Forgetting not the limbs 
That once shaded its mythical protector
Now with mouth crammed of apple 

How cruel
Yet forgivable
The ignorance of youth
An age clinging tight
The few years it has 

And how impassioned we become
Upon visiting where once I did fantasize
My own kind of mischief
Hidden by the branches and leaves
Guarded by mythology I knew little of

Yet

Yet today…

How prescient this head of stone
Askew like a court jester pondering me
Seeming able to laugh at himself
As I remove the apple
Coaxing from me as well 
A grin of acceptance
Copyright © | Year Posted 2013


Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Be the first to comment on this poem. Encourage this poet.

Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter