I Ask Myself Poem by Matt Mooney

I Ask Myself

Rating: 5.0


What’s that?
That sound from the wood!
Does that bare tree complain a lot?
It does not!
It cannot be.
Is it the call of a bird?
It might maybe.

But high on its boughs
I can’t see a thing:
Not a sign I see.

I listen in, all ears,
And found out now
That the sound
That had puzzled me
Came after all
From the tall old ash tree,
Creaking in pain,
In vain to complain
Of the way that the wind
Blows to bow and to bend it.


A reminder to me
That the suffering of man
Sounds so much the same
In everything but name.

(My own translation of my poem in Gaelic 'Ceist Agam Orm'.)

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Shakuntala Sharma 07 September 2009

Simple but a touching poem

0 0 Reply
Louis Rams 09 September 2009

as the wind may bend a branch, and even break it from the body the roots are deeply grounded, and as firm as can be that is the reason it is called a tree. (and so is this poem, it is firmly grounded)

0 0 Reply
Bob Blackwell 16 September 2009

My wife asks questions such as this, the wind, the creak, the whistle the song that goes unexplained. My neck also creaks from all the bending it does. In spite of all that it is a joy to notice things. Like you have in ths lovely poem. Bob

0 0 Reply
Ejaz Khan 29 September 2009

Very interesting write, not only trees and humans are crying of pain but the whole nature is suffering from the throes, we hope something good will come out of it! 10/10

0 0 Reply
Pranab K Chakraborty 16 June 2010

Metaphor and imagery gives you the right to sit beside the civilization. A human life also bends and bows with high wind which blows from unknown-eternity to sweep away our material identity. Splendid. You have painted it by words. No where is finishing but a finish to be finished. The tree weeps, weeped The Hitler also. Thanks. Write more poet.....more you write........ Regards, 10++++ pranab

0 0 Reply

Who listens to the subtle voice of greens? Except poets…global pollution makes them weep… They love us but in return…well we know what we did...do and will do…contemplatively humane…thanks muchhh Voted 10+ Ms. Nivedita UK

0 0 Reply
Anita Trivedi 11 May 2010

Its realy beautiful. wel writen. i liked it so much.

0 0 Reply
Merna Ibrahim 04 December 2009

A Fantastic poem, , , , I like the title so much! Ten

0 0 Reply

WOW , , i love these verses, , , spoke to me so much Came after all From the tall old ash tree, Creaking in pain, In vain to complain Of the way that the wind Blows to bow and to bend it. A reminder to me That the suffering of man Sounds so much the same In everything but name.

0 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Matt Mooney

Matt Mooney

South Galway, Ireland.
Close
Error Success