#The Trees

18 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

earnest drum
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supine on the curb
a heap of ragged sheets
one limp body,
a brace of rotting teeth, squatting
junk on the jungle floor, shivering -
abandoned eyes, slowly wandering the suffocating canopy of balconies
and thin, neglected topiaries
drifting past drying lines
wearily sifting through dreary, tapered vines
and little broken barbecues

high in the branches
evening’s rays make mazes
monkeys gorge on twilight,
giggling at the vagrant’s
vacant gazes -
they know nothing of roots;
of rain-ravaged boots
and crumbling chip shops
on battered street corners
taking last orders from rats
as the shutters roll down

a creature who endlessly dwells
where the air smells of roses
rarely supposes that skies can seem bleaker
for those whose lodgings are meeker
what’s to gain from imbibing their pain?
the trees are still standing
their fruits are still sanguine and sweet
the rot will never reach the rooftop bars
the leafy landings, spread out under the stars
far below, the beggar hangs his head
waiting out the days until he’s dead

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A poem about those who are less fortunate in life and how easy it can be for others to ignore them

mystic plover
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Those who face it know how hard is it, Your poem is great but the idea of ignorance doesn't get applied for real life anyways

earnest drum
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That seems a little unfair - I see homeless people getting passed by on the street in my home city all the time without so much as a ‘hello’

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I think a lot of people are ignorant of others’ suffering or simply choose to ignore it for their own convenience

mystic plover
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So are you talking about ignoring the people who are unfortunate or just ignore the misfortune

earnest drum
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I suppose both - the ‘trees’ in this are a metaphor for a high-rise city. The monkeys represent an upper class who aren’t necessarily evil, but simply don’t come into contact with the beggar because they spend all their time up in the ‘canopy’ (skyscrapers and expensive hotels). I’m not trying to say that those who are more fortunate are malicious towards the poor, just that the enormous differences between their respective lifestyles make it difficult for genuine empathy to arise.

merry sinewBOT
earnest drum
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‘pregressed’

mystic plover
# earnest drum I suppose both - the ‘trees’ in this are a metaphor for a high-rise city. The mo...

The example of homeless man is where your expression of matter gets a bit stale. A homeless man knows the pain of staying out in the rain, heat of summer and shivering cold. Now if you say him to ignore, he may do it for a day or so. But after all he is a human too. He also will feel pain. So comparing this to a real life thing, I don't feel that can be applicable to it. You may hide your pain but can never ignore it.

earnest drum
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I think you’ve totally misunderstood the poem to be honest

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I’m absolutely not saying that the beggar has to ignore his pain

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That’s actually the complete opposite of what’s being said

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It’s the upper classes that ignore him

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And I do think the text makes that pretty clear

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a creature who endlessly dwells where the air smells of roses rarely supposes that skies can seem bleaker for those whose lodgings are meeker

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I.e those who live in luxury are unable to imagine the lives of those living on the streets

earnest drum