Peace and feelings of grace flow from the words of this beautiful poem. Well done !.........M
Reviewed by Butch Howard (Reader)
Reviewed on September 14, 2007
Excellent piece of writing, Jude. I felt "a wonderful sense of calm" as I read this and it sparked a special memory for me. I lived in Lexington, KY when I was in Jr. High and part of High school and the home of Henry Clay, the Kentucky statesman who is famous for his Civil War quote: "Together we stand, divided we fall" was just down the street. He had a strong influence on Abraham Lincoln. I remember a huge Ginko tree on the grounds and was told that it was the first one planted in America and was planted by him. Henry Clay was well known for importing trees and plants. He is believed to have imported the first Ginko tree in Kentucky. Several of these trees planted by Henry Clay still live. Ironically, I attended Henry Clay High School. Taylor's interesting comment that the ginko is a symbol of the unity of opposites makes perfect sense to me now as to the symbolic nature of the ginko and why Henry Clay planted it there. The ginko was originally imported to this country from China. Here are some other interesting facts about the ginko: The ginkgo tree is the oldest living tree species in the world; individual trees can live for hundreds of years. It also has many medicinal uses.
· Extracts are made from the tree’s fan-shaped leaves. Each leaf has 2 lobes (“biloba”).
· Has been used in ancient Chinese medicine for thousands of years.
· The most commonly used botanical supplement in the U.S. and Germany.
Most studied uses:
Dementia, peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
Other common uses:
Tinnitus, macular degeneration, asthma, age-related memory loss, prevention of high
altitude sickness, memory enhancement in healthy persons.
ref. http://www.fammed.washington.edu/predoctoral/CAM/images/ginkgo.pdf
I suspect you were well aware of the significance of the ginko tree and it was no accident you chose it for this poem. I love the way a poem can spark memories for people and show us important facets of our own history. Very cool Jude! You always make us think!
~Butch Howard
the cycle of life, from dust to dust, we are all elements of the earth around us, and too often we forget the connection that remains whether we are present or not. the classic cycle presented echoes the call that from nature we are born and to nature we return, even in our solitude, so like the ginkgo tree, and yet in its/our roots lie the eternal ties that bind. a deeply moving reminder of what it really means to co-exist.
Reviewed by Kathryn Collins (Reader)
Reviewed on September 12, 2007
Dear Jude,
the soft veil this dear one leaves is the truest consolation we can have. Under the ginko until one day blanket of nature.
My Dear Jude,
You have penned a truly inspired piece; every word breathes Bliss! Amazing, simply amazing...
Your creative skill is boundless.
Peace,
Carolyn
Well, hello Mr Ginkgo! Seems like Old Wrecks and Young Fossils speaka da same langwidge, whether from subterranean depths or mountain peaks. This breathes. The atmosphere and vision are transcendent. Light and warmth permeate this state of being from the roots of "her" hair to the tips of her (buried) toes. There's a sense of omniscience and omnipresence abounding within this ginkgo spirit that brings dreams alive. And they themselves seem to be the fossil fuel of the spirit of creation. Lots of visioning going on here that stimulate all the senses. Love Taylor's harmony, hope and endurance take. The sense of peace is beautifully pervasive. What a joy to be Jurassic! I'll DEFINITELY be looking out for this vibe living, as I now do, along a world-heritage site of a Jurassic coastline... Kerapod Kate xx
This reminds me of my mother, whom our family used to think of as a sturdy huge oak tree. She was so strong and always serene and in control, ready to nurture everyone. She would sit under that oak in our yard and be at one with all around her,just as you describe. Beautiful poem as only you can express Jude, with the proper words. Thank you for this keeper...
I love the story aspect of this poem, Jude. So often poetry is about suggestion and not strikingly profound, but you have transcended that with this offering, by telling a story of a lifetime. It is the difference between watching the unfolding of an entire play instead of taking a small peek at a scene. You introduced your character and you brought her to life; by the end of the final line, we knew her. Excellent penning!
Take care,
Sherry
I cried. This Gingko is so much me now that I made my transition to paradise. It is such harmony here that it overwhelms my words and there don't give justice to how pleased I am with your words.
Love,
Susan
Spirit of the Gingko reminds me so much of the myth of The Woman Who Became a Walnut Tree.
Once men had a town there. Then in the fall when the walnuts ripened, one woman ate a walnut and she liked it so much that when she was done she would not sell any of them. They went to the village there, but she would not come. And as she kept herself there her legs transformed into tree roots. When they tried to cut them away, they failed, and soon she became a great walnut tree. It is said that the woman became a tree. The Spirit of the Gingko appears to be a tale of MORTALITY and The Woman Who Became a Walnut Tree This appears to be a morality tale in which a woman becomes so inordinately fond of walnuts that she fails to share them even for a price. Thus her punishment for being obsessed in this way was to become the object of her obsession.
However, on closer examination we see that the punishment strangely fits the crime. The walnut tree hoards its fruits only up to the point at which it becomes ripe; then it is either harvested or falls to the ground. Thus the walnut tree never gets to keep the ripe and tasty nuts. So the woman who horded the nuts for their rich, ripe taste, now is a being that cannot retain the very thing that she most desires. She is now forced to give away the crop entirely with nothing left for herself -- the exact opposite of her human behavior.
Perhaps, the Spirit of the Gingko is where you get your roots, Jude? You know this woman...
Absolutely beautiful powerful and calm
As my eyes dance through this
Page my soul felt a spiritual peacefulness
My dream is for my ashes to be spread in the spirit
Mountains I just hope is as peaceful as hers!
Jude this is a fantastic write!!
Love Peace and many hugssss....Morning Star
Thank you for a simple scene that is quite unforgetable.
I'm glad that your memory and imagination took me to this place.
I don't keep poems unless I plan to revisit. - See you then!
- Bill
Jude , I so enjoyed reading this...it has a relaxing spirit to it and it reminds me of sitting on the porch at my grandmother's when I was little and looking over the landscape that bordered the river...a beautiful sight. There in the center of view was an enormous Gingko tree that would show off her magnificence every fall with golden splendor... and the icky fruit too. I love the leaves...even have one dried and tucked away. I discovered they are a symbol of the unity of opposites and love and the bearer of hope and longevity. Is that, perhaps, what your She had in mind when she dreamed and reached that "sense of calm".
Love,
Taylor
Reviewed by Andy Turner (Reader)
Reviewed on September 8, 2007
A great creation from a God given colourful palette. I was talking to a young lass at the monastery last week, about how you feel at one with nature if you just sit there in such divine countryside, in peaceful meditation, time and all other worldly concepts just vanish like whispy clouds melting on a summers day...
Pesky insects, never heard it put that way, but this year I've been a walking restaurant.
This is exactly what happens when I sit outside, enjoying the bounty of nature...I believe we are one with her, if we allow it, if we are capable of realizing, if we breathe in what she has to offer, as you have offered here...
So exquisitly beautiful, Jude~
Love and Peace~
Kimmy~
To consider oneself as part of eternity as support for a living changing world is absolutely wonderful, she has the spirit of nature in her heart and I think this is one of your best old friend.
Nice one, Jude! A quiet easy ride through pleasant green ways. Wonder what brought the Ginkgo to mind? Not too many people even know about the Ginkgo. We have one here in New Boston; a local treasure, supposedly the largest Ginkgo in this area of the nation. They are truly living fossils. A combination of resistance to disease, insect-resistant wood and the ability to form aerial roots and sprouts makes ginkgos very long-lived, with some specimens claimed to be more than 2,500 years old. Neat stuff, and lovely poem!
This is a book of free verse poetry that addresses the seven main tests in life and offers some sensible solutions to passing those tests with minimal discomfort.
“The woman or man who is a poet, or fiction writer, or playwright, or all of these, is engaged constantly in a jazz ballet of vocabularies, passions, genders, histories, perspectives, death, love, and life. The music of revelation announces itself to
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Jasmin Horst
· Extracts are made from the tree’s fan-shaped leaves. Each leaf has 2 lobes (“biloba”).
· Has been used in ancient Chinese medicine for thousands of years.
· The most commonly used botanical supplement in the U.S. and Germany.
Most studied uses:
Dementia, peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
Other common uses:
Tinnitus, macular degeneration, asthma, age-related memory loss, prevention of high
altitude sickness, memory enhancement in healthy persons.
ref. http://www.fammed.washington.edu/predoctoral/CAM/images/ginkgo.pdf
I suspect you were well aware of the significance of the ginko tree and it was no accident you chose it for this poem. I love the way a poem can spark memories for people and show us important facets of our own history. Very cool Jude! You always make us think!
~Butch Howard
Outstanding. You are such a gifted Writer. In your words there is a meaning, a voice, a presence. I can only say with honesty, I love your work.
the soft veil this dear one leaves is the truest consolation we can have. Under the ginko until one day blanket of nature.
love,
Kathy
You have penned a truly inspired piece; every word breathes Bliss! Amazing, simply amazing...
Your creative skill is boundless.
Peace,
Carolyn
Verses beautifull composed
Peace
William
Newfie Hugs, Rose
ET
Chrissy
Take care,
Sherry
Love,
Susan
Once men had a town there. Then in the fall when the walnuts ripened, one woman ate a walnut and she liked it so much that when she was done she would not sell any of them. They went to the village there, but she would not come. And as she kept herself there her legs transformed into tree roots. When they tried to cut them away, they failed, and soon she became a great walnut tree. It is said that the woman became a tree. The Spirit of the Gingko appears to be a tale of MORTALITY and The Woman Who Became a Walnut Tree This appears to be a morality tale in which a woman becomes so inordinately fond of walnuts that she fails to share them even for a price. Thus her punishment for being obsessed in this way was to become the object of her obsession.
However, on closer examination we see that the punishment strangely fits the crime. The walnut tree hoards its fruits only up to the point at which it becomes ripe; then it is either harvested or falls to the ground. Thus the walnut tree never gets to keep the ripe and tasty nuts. So the woman who horded the nuts for their rich, ripe taste, now is a being that cannot retain the very thing that she most desires. She is now forced to give away the crop entirely with nothing left for herself -- the exact opposite of her human behavior.
Perhaps, the Spirit of the Gingko is where you get your roots, Jude? You know this woman...
Love Always,
Sage
As my eyes dance through this
Page my soul felt a spiritual peacefulness
My dream is for my ashes to be spread in the spirit
Mountains I just hope is as peaceful as hers!
Jude this is a fantastic write!!
Love Peace and many hugssss....Morning Star
Be safe,
Karen
Ron
I'm glad that your memory and imagination took me to this place.
I don't keep poems unless I plan to revisit. - See you then!
- Bill
Love,
Taylor
Pesky insects, never heard it put that way, but this year I've been a walking restaurant.
Georg
So exquisitly beautiful, Jude~
Love and Peace~
Kimmy~
Fee
Love Tinka
Ted
Your poem warmed my heart.
Kathy
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.