It written at the time of a lunar eclipse which is esoterically associated with new beginnings and change. It was written immediately after writing an equally simple but lyrical poem that I put on the blog in March The Spirit of Change
The imagery for the poem comes from an oak tree in a field where I lived in North London for a year during my childhood. I lived there from aged 8 to 9.
In the halcyon days when children weren't chaperoned to a battery of organised activities, we created fun from our own imaginations and physical experience in parks and fields and streams. A regular activity for boys (and also some girls) was tree-climbing.
The tree in question was an oak tree in a field adjacent to where I lived and, whilst it was easy to climb to a certain height, jumping was the only "safe" way back down.
I had become an expert on the smaller favoured tree in the park but the oak tree was for the older boys. Climbing it represented a quantum leap in progress and a willingness to risk getting hurt or stuck. As both children and adults we often face the challenge of taking a leap into the unknown. Adults often shy away unless circumstances convene to push them whereas children are often driven through the fear by the desire to achieve the end result.
Anyway, the foundations of poem are rooted in me drifting into sleep as a child dreaming about this tree and the prospect of climbing it. It is a memory of being in that twilight zone that existing between being awake and being asleep; that chasm where mythology lives.
The rest of it is simply about recognising that we all follow our own paths through life and the challenges that we face are unique in how they relate to our own experience. We don't always grow at the same rate and we often have diferent destinations. As the challenges come we either face them, adapt and overcome them and go forwards in life or we ignore them and at very best stand still.
The overriding sense is the concept of quantum change rather than the slow undulating change that can be absorbed into our lives. Change that requires courage, skill and an element of self-belief..
As regards more complex philosophy there are obvious parallels here with the "Tree of Life".
The Tree of Life is a philosphical concept that runs through many different religions (including Christianity). Some argue that it is present in ancient Egyptian mythology, but the fundaments of the Tree of Life that runs through modern philosophy have grown from its roots in Judaism, passing through the hands of the Hermetics into Christian society and then being adapted though magical societies that were rife in the latter part of the 19th century and early 20th century.
The modern day Tree of Life encompasses many different philosphies and religions and although I don't subscribe to any particular religion or philosophy I have found it very helpful in contemplating just about anything.
I remember the tree well & when reading your poem, I was instantly back in the field even before I read the explanation lower down. You had to get rescued from it once as you got stuck trying to get down.
ReplyDeleteI know I used to get stuck as well. It can be easy enough getting up a tree,but harder getting down.
Hi Tricky Crow, yes I remember being "rescued", but it wasn't by the fire brigade or anything just one of the older local lads.
ReplyDeleteHe took me under his wing and gave me a little more confidence to ignore the fear.
I learned to jump down well, and have since been learning to climb down. Sometimes you have to be patient as there isn't always something obvious to grab hold of.
I remember him well. He would never knock on our door, but sit on our wall & whistle instead. He was bit rough & ready but a good friend. ;)
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