Grieving Stillborn Fruit


There is supposed to be a veil
between you and I dear Sun.
I am enamored with your bold stare,
but the heat of your affection
caused me to bud prematurely.

My heart breaks for confused spring
who felt your nudge to wake me
before I had strength to nurse
the tiny spirits birthed from my limbs.

How long do we cry before humans
will stop tearing the curtain between
the daylight star and earth’s heart?

I am a cherry tree grieving stillborn fruit.
My infants lie in frost-bitten bunting,
withered before the rose blush
could form on their cheeks.

 Susie Clevenger 2017

#NaPoWriMo2017

Real Toads ~ Speaking For Spring's Stillborn Sprouts

Comments

Magaly Guerrero said…
Unbalanced relationships tend to breed corpses, don't they? How terrible for everyone involved--especially for those who believe they hold not guilt and will not be affected by their thoughtless intrusion.

"How long do we cry...?" indeed.
April 3, 2017 at 8:49 AM
Rommy said…
I was particularly struck by this verse:

How long do we cry before humans
will stop tearing the curtain between
the daylight star and earth’s heart?

I can only pray enough concerned people will make big enough noises to put a stop to it, despite the stupidity of those who deny hearing any such cry.
April 3, 2017 at 9:06 AM
hedgewitch said…
'the curtain between
the daylight star and earth’s heart...' that is so eloquent, Susie. You personify in such a genuine spirit that I can feel the trees crying.
April 3, 2017 at 9:29 AM
Anonymous said…
Heartfelt response to the prompt and a heart rending cry...How long indeed?
April 3, 2017 at 10:35 AM
De Jackson said…
THIS:
"My heart breaks for confused spring"

and oh, that torn curtain. Whew.
April 3, 2017 at 11:53 AM
Sanaa Rizvi said…
My goodness this is such a heartfelt write, Susie. Especially touched by these lines; "I am a cherry tree grieving stillborn fruit. My infants lie in frost-bitten bunting, withered before the rose blush could form on their cheeks." Beautifully rendered.
April 3, 2017 at 3:21 PM
Sherry Blue Sky said…
I went in the same direction as you, Susie.....I really feel this mother tree's grief. All those unborn buds.......
April 3, 2017 at 3:39 PM
Anonymous said…
The image of a beautiful cherry tree crying over her dying unborn... Oh my.
April 3, 2017 at 7:00 PM
brudberg said…
The image of the tree as a mourning mother works so well.
April 3, 2017 at 11:42 PM
grapeling said…
a beautiful lament, Susie ~
April 4, 2017 at 12:15 AM
Jim said…
Poor Mother Tree lost her battle with Mother Nature. And if it isn't the freeze (our lemon tree 'birthed' a set of new leaves) then it is a shortage of trees to.do pollinating duty. Our good (??) senator c. helped vote down an appropriation for research to find out what has been causing our bees to be dissappearing.
..
April 4, 2017 at 12:44 AM
Anonymous said…
Those babies in "frost-bitten bunting" -- now engraved in this grieving heart.
April 4, 2017 at 4:07 AM
Rosemary Nissen-Wade said…
Anguished ... and beautifully said.
April 4, 2017 at 7:30 AM
Maude Lynn said…
Wow! "Frost bitten bunting." That is outstanding. And the second stanza . . . love!
April 4, 2017 at 2:31 PM
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