It’s a lifetime
since we rode the red bus
from Twickenham to Kew,
me and you,
and walked among the trees:
blossoms in spring and – in autumn – leaves.
We listened to the soft fret and whisper
of secrets passing
from tree to tree.
And then we met the glossy arbutus,
with her leaning trunk, twisting branches
and glossy leaves. You collected strips
of cinnamon-red
bark, reminders
of her scent
and the day
we went
to Kew
on the red bus –
the day we met the arbutus.
Kim M. Russell, 1st August 2019
My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Wordy Thursday with Wild Woman: The Art of Emily Carr
Sherry is our host today with a video about Emily Carr and a selection of her major painted works. She says that Carr, a visionary Canadian artist whose paintings celebrate the wild beauty of Vancouver Island, was ahead of her time. She has also given us a brief background to the artist’s amazing life.
For this prompt, Sherry invites us to choose whichever of her paintings appeals (or choose one at Emily Carr Artworks), and write a new poem, including the title of the painting and its source. I chose Arbutus Tree, painted in 1922. The poem is a fictionalised memory of one of many visits to Kew Gardens with my daughter when she was a child.
writing in north norfolk 
Your poem is so lovely, Kim, even more so when I read that the memory is of your daughter. We have arbutus trees up and down Vancouver Island, too. Sooooooo beautiful. I like the idea of the scent in the snippets of bark, for remembering.
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Thank you, Sherry. I used to love our visits to Kew Gardens. Now we live in a leafy place but there are no exotic ones.
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Compact and nicely woven with loads of light and heart. Loved the gentle assonance and rhyme, placed just so, right in the sweet spot. Title knits those sounds into an overarching kiss.
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Thank you, Brendan
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I lke this a lot. We have arbutus trees up north but not down south. I visited Kew Gardens a couple of times while in London. It is a wonderful place. And to have memories tied to that place through your child, your daughter, makes it even more lovely.
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Joni Mitchell wrote and sang about the arbutus in her song ‘For the Roses’:
‘It was just the arbutus rustling
And the bumping of the logs
And the moon swept down black water
Like an empty spotlight’.
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i love this walk down memory lane. Rather lyrical 🙂
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Thank you, Viv! 🙂
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🙂
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The painting and poem are perfectly matched. (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe.
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I loved that Red Bus ride over to the Kew Gardens. There are “typical” provincial London city homes all lined up along the way when one gets out towards the Garden. For sure we are introduced to numerous plants and trees. I don’t have recollections though of the arbutus or most of the others by name. Two time we visited.
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p.s. I have added a picture of the Trapeze School by the exit of Regent’s Park. I have a lot but think I have only ever posted this one.
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p.s. I have posted a picture of the Trapeze School at the exit of the school. Although I have several pictures taken there this is the only one that I have posted.
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I’ve always loved Kew.
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I love the formatting here Kim, and the lyrical sound to your words.
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Thank you, Linda.
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I love everything about this poem, Kim, especially its musicality. The way you lead the reader by the hand and introduce the tree is magical.
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Your comment has made my day, Kerry!
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What lovely rhythm this poem has. Fits the tree so well.
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Thank you, Sara.
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I love the shape your poem takes. It is truly Poet-tree! I really liked the sounds of the leaves as whispers passing from tree to tree which seems to mimic the conversation of the narrator.
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