The Poet Tree Positivity Project

Woke up this morning, I was feeling quite weird, had flies in my beard, my tooth paste was smeared- well not really. They're actually lyrics from an old song 'Mr Spaceman,' by The Byrds that had formed an earworm in my head as I began writing this... 

I actually woke with an idea for sharing poetry with my neighbours. So I set about creating what I'm calling 'The Poet Tree Project.' I am trying to deal with my current lockdown life by responding positively and creatively. 

I have long held the view that poetry possesses a capacity to be healing and transformative, particularly in stressful times. It frequently performs a gentle dance around our emotions engaging them and soothing the soul. It remains one of poetry's many gifts to both the writer and the reader.

There's an old, gnarled eucalypt tree outside my back gate and I thought it would make a perfect partner in my quest to share some poetry in this time of Covid 19. I can see the tree clearly from my study window. 

In my home state of Victoria, we are currently in the grip of a second wave of the virus and as a result, mask wearing has been made compulsory and severe restrictions are in place regarding movement and activity. People are allowed out for up to an hour of exercise each day. I regularly hear them walking past along the community reserve. 

My plan is to share a poem of positivity each week, so that people strolling by on the reserve, whether individually, with their partners, children, or dogs can be positively impacted (hopefully) by the verse I have left on the tree. Here is my first offering.

Lockdown Life

I sit beside the window

gazing upon

the slow motion

garden transformations.

I ponder the lovesick rejection

of my former relationship

with the world.

Maybe today

an invasion of butterflies.

Maybe the sound of an eyelash

crashing to the floor.

Maybe...

While presently possessing

the social mobility

of a garden gnome.

I am content to mine

the sweet content of my days

far from the madness of crowds.

With morning birdsong

and in the background

Lucinda Williams pleading

for passionate kisses.

Alan j Wright

Fisherman's Creek, Community Reserve.