If trees could talk

[nibbed]

If trees could talk


If the old tree could talk,
I think he'd keep it rather short
I mean--
what of value would he have to say
when he's sat on his **** all day?

I kinda understand the asterisks. I'm thinking it doesn't have to do with censorship at all, but that there's really no word that fits. Maybe the poet is very polite, but, really what does a tree sit on? It grows up through the ground, has roots, but it doesn't have a "part" that it actually sits on. As for the meaning of the poem: It seems to refer to respect, as though movement or activity makes someone worthy to receive respect or not. Maybe in some cases it might, but not in all cases. The poem seems to be an unfair criticism of old trees. Every tree doesn't grow the same. One tree might receive sunshine and water, is happy so it stretches forth its limbs and squeezes out lots of fruit. Other trees might be void of sunshine, or a bolt of lightning damaged it, or high winds took down its strong canopy. Perhaps there's something we can't see about the tree, something the tree can't help that makes it unable to talk or feel it's interesting. Maybe the old tree is just plain tuckered out! As for the asterisks, maybe replace them with a blank?

A short poem with a cute idea that generated much thought and discussion! Maybe you could change the second half (after rather short ), "But oh, the words he just might say..."


-nibbed