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About This Author
My name is Joy, and I love to write.
Why poetry, here? Because poetry uplifts its writer, and if she is lucky enough, her readers, too. Around us, so many objects abound to write about. Once a poet starts with a smallest, most trivial object, he shall discover that his pen will spill out what is most delicate or most majestic hidden inside him. Since the classics sometimes dealt with lofty subjects with a lofty language, a person with poetry in his soul may incline to emulate that. That is understandable. Poetry does that to a person: it enlarges the soul and gives it wings. Yet, to really soar, a poet needs to take off from the ground.
 
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Everyday Canvas
"Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself."
CHARLIE CHAPLIN
Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn
anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive
is too small for you.
David Whyte
This is my supplementary blog in which I will post entries written for prompts.
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Prompt: Trees
We get many material uses out of trees. Are there any other intangible, artistic, or philosophical uses of them that come to your mind?
Aside from their cooling shades and their inspiration for poets, writers, and all artists, trees have held symbolic charm for humanity. The tree has inspired several rich cultural myths. Thousands of years ago, it was believed that a tree held together the world, underworld, and the universe as the cosmic axis (axis mundi), such as in Teutonic and Norse mythology. Then, Gilgamesh of the Sumerian legends searched for the tree of life snatched by a snake.
The tree also has been widely used as a symbol in spiritual and religious traditions, starting with Eve and Adam’s apple tree, Buddha’s finding enlightenment under the Bo tree of wisdom, Druids working their magic in oak forests, and the Kabbalistic tree of life.
Yet, that is not all. Evolution of languages are explained through an image of a tree. The genealogical successions of human families are shown through tree shapes. From computer scientists to biologists, everyone uses the outline of a tree.
On top of all their physical and material uses, trees have inspired us ever since our species found life on earth, as each kind of tree has its own symbolism as well. A palm tree reminds us of the sun, sunny skies, and vacations. An oak talks of nobility. Cherry trees are the harbingers of a cheery spring. Sequioas are called the Goddess Trees for their height, age, and color.
It was a stunning eye-opener for me to experience the majesty of the Sequoias when we visited the West Coast, but then any tree sings us its own beautiful song and a walk in the woods or in a forest can be as impressive as a symphony. No wonder even Shakespeare mentioned a mythical musician in relation to trees:
“Orpheus with his lute made trees
And the mountain tops that freeze
Bow themselves when he did sing…”
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