Poor man's coat (challenge)

The forest is the poor man's coat,
so they used to say.
It keeps you warm while working
axe and saw to bring down the timber,
then keeps you warm again
as firewood in the stove.

Be wary of the lady of the woods,
that's what they used to say,
lest she throws dust in your eyes
and leads you ever deeper
into the forest's secret place
from which there's no escape.

You'll see her hollow back
when she slips behind a tree,
hear taunting peels of laughter,
as tree roots grab your feet
and pull you ever down
into a bed of soft green moss.

Turn your shirt inside out
they said, to get your true sight back
to find your footing and the path
to your logger's hut, where beauty is a dream
piercing deep like wooden splinters
in calloused, axe-worn hands.

The forest is the poor man's coat,
so they used to say.



Poetry by Åsa Andersson
Read 1188 times
Written on 2015-02-17 at 17:20

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Arunesh dixit
Masterpiece.
2015-05-21


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
I have nothing to add to what the others have said. Yes, your poem is enchanting. It's also very gracefully written. You've responded to the challenge by going off in an unexpected direction.
2015-02-19


Wumbulu
Love it...Norrland has it's own mythology...

lest she throws dust in your eyes
and leads you ever deeper
into the forest's secret place

Wonderful sexual connotation or should I book a time with a shrink?
2015-02-19


jim The PoetBay support member heart!
Enchanting. This reads effortlessly, which must mean you put a lot of effort into it.

The woods do draw one in ever deeper. I've yet to see the lady of the woods. That doesn't mean she hasn't seen me (and fled).
2015-02-18



Such a beautiful poem! Very well done.
~Ashe
2015-02-18


Chaucer Whethers The PoetBay support member heart!
Qwondrous writing, and you did not sugar (coat) the fable with sappy homilies. :)
2015-02-17


night soul woman The PoetBay support member heart!
Aw perfect! - I think that you 've written a fable!!!! Bravo! I thought that I would write one too but I am not there yet :) Thank you for sharing :)!
2015-02-17