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Living With the Enemy

Truth’s not just in the beauty of our trees
cherry blossom
it’s pervading bouquet 
the falling confetti 

Truth’s whatever hangs from the tree
like branches 
and fruit 
perhaps that lynched refugee

Truth’s also insidiously part of the tree
toxic leaves 
poison bark
spears used in our savagery 

Truth’s sometimes hidden by the tree
shallow roots 
slithery snakes 
the rotten core we cannot see

Truth’s deeply carved into the tree
a lovers name
the idolised hero
our past disgrace of being monkeys 

Truth’s symbolism comes from the tree
a carpenters son
the scourging whip’s handle 
burning cross of supremacy 

So what truth do we represent to the tree
maybe it’s master
could be it’s slave 
More than that! we’re the common enemy 


By David Kavanagh

Copyright © David Kavanagh | Year Posted 2022

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Suzanne Delaney Date: 7/10/2022 2:32:00 PM Great portrayal of the light and dark sides of everything thing, David. How blessed if we can only see the bright side. SuZ Login to Reply David Kavanagh Date: 7/10/2022 3:35:00 PM Thank you SuZ if only! Alas human intelligence won’t allow me, I seem to find myself looking for the bigger picture, it ain’t always pretty but I do believe we are all part of eternity, which in return offers infinite possibilities, cheers David

Jennifer Proxenos Date: 6/13/2022 3:32:00 PM But who is the enemy David? The man in the street trying to make a living the priest in the church who is a pedofile the policeman who had the autonomy to kill an innocent person, or the spectacled spinster who lives next door who seem to be minding her own business but who is an assassin though provoking write dear friend. Hugs blessings Jennifer Login to Reply David Kavanagh Date: 6/13/2022 4:02:00 PM Heya Jennifer, thank you for stopping by, I believe the enemy are all the gaping truths we don’t want to accept or face, so many everyday things are circumvented and soon resigned to history, but the problem is they keep coming back, we are imo our own worse enemy, accidental human intelligence has us all driven mad, unless it’s not accidental, hmmm! cheers David

Tom Cunningham Date: 6/13/2022 10:20:00 AM Very thought provoking verse David, I wouldn't argue that mankind with all its faults is indeed the common enemy. Best of luck, only 25 to go, phew. Tom Login to Reply David Kavanagh Date: 6/13/2022 10:28:00 AM It is pretty hard to argue against on the grand scale Tom, I’ve got a few poems on the go I’m struggling with, hopefully I can get them refocused for the marathon, Caren probably has the marathon finished and is already lapping me for fun, cheers David