This poem was inspired by a painting from Leslie White’s Blog. For the full impact, open the painting and view it prior to reading the poem… or have them both pulled up at the same time. Thanks Leslie for the inspiring painting!
After posting my poem, Leslie graciously offered for me to post her beautiful, poem inspiring painting on my site! I feel honored… Thank you Leslie!
The door and the tree
Painted by Leslie White
See that door on the tree
It was put there by me
A reminder
That life is still calling
It’s structure is fair
Missing board tops here or there
But the Z you see
Still supporting
There’s a fence in the back
You don’t pay much mind to that
It’s a boundary put there
For a horse
The beauty you see
Is the door and the tree
The door
I put there of course
Why a door and a tree
You enquire of me
What’s the point
It doesn’t lead anywhere
But exactly my friend
It has come to its end
So I leave it
To root and to wear
When I look at the door
supported no more
By hinge
And fence post somewhere
I stare and I see
As it leans on a tree,
The form
That it once used to share
Though the form’s now framed,
Weather and time have changed
The core still remains
From afore
The essence of tree
The center of me
Is still at the heart
Of the door
And while I can visit
And stay for a while
My form and function
Have changed
But the essence of wood
The core, understood
Is still at the heart
Of my door
If the door could speak
I think it would squeak
No, I think it would shout
Out loud
That it’s life was well spent
guarding a fence
Protecting the in
From the out
Now tie in the fence
The tree and door
And see what you only
Looked at before
The tree a symbol
Of where he began
The fence
Of what he has done
Now he leans there
As I stand and stare
He reminds me of
Where I have come
My paint is fading
My form slightly off
Some parts worn down
And broken
But my life I will share
As time doesn’t care
As to whether I’m coming
Or Going
The door is not done
It still carries on
Reminding me
Life is still calling
The door plays its part
Reminding my heart
To cherish the roots
That will last
The fence that I see
A reminder to me
Of function and form
From my past
You might be a breeze
A door, or tree
A fence put up
For a horse
We all play a part
In life’s revolving plot
Remember your roots
And your course
When you think you are through
Remember to view
The tree
The fence
And the door
It helps me to see
there’s more life in me
A tree
A fence
And a door
Stephen Kellogg – 2010
Stephen Kellogg
Stephen Kellogg's Blog 
Pingback: Barn Door and Tree « Leslie White
WOW!!!! THANK-YOU!!! Your poem is beautiful! My favorite stanza (I think they are stanzas. Correct me if I’m wrong) is “But the essence of wood
The core, understood Is still at the heart Of my door”.
Leslie,
thanks! I’ve added your painting… wish my blog format allowed me to put a much larger version of your painting next to the poem but if I make it larger, it pushes above the text.
thanks for comment about the lines you did… I was hoping someone would see and appreciate them…
the line
“The essence of tree
The center of me”
and the one you point out are where I was trying to blend between the person and the door.
thanks again for the wonderful painting
Stephen
Fits perfect. Yes “center of me” and “essence of tree” . Strong.
As I read, the voice seems to take the face of a simple farmer, one older and wiser and roots deep in the earth.
Yousei,
Thank you! It always helps to hear how others perceive my work, whether it’s what I intended or not, it’s good to hear. In this case, you heard it like I was hoping. It is the voice of a farmer, older and hopefully growing wiser and sharing a bit of that wisdom.
Peace,
Stephen