So I did some more looking on Leslie Whites blog and was yet again inspired by one of her paintings. This poem was a little different as I started off with the first bit just based on what I saw but as I went back to the painting and noticed the comment she made “It is as though I am surrounded by a fairytale forest.” the rest just flowed. Thanks again Leslie!
Friend of the Acorn
creek - Painted by Leslie White
I’m hidden here
Tucked away behind the trees
Pulled back slightly off the beaten path
And I wait
Are you coming
Do you know I wait
Are you on this path
Will this be your day
Creek mist rises up
Moisture swirling round
I shiver
Wings twitching slightly
Is it cold
Excitement
Likely a mix of both
My body trembles
An acorn drops
Plops
And sends droplets
Shimmering
They dive back in
Silver ripples
Betray their
return home
Mother water
Absorbing them
With a calming
Embrace
You were not the one
Another acorn
falls from above
Bounce off limb here
Rattle through leaf there
My hand flashes out
And snatches it
From the air
Absorbing it’s free fall
A quick press
Against my cheek
A slight warmth
Is there
Nothing detectable
By humans
But there for me
To know
This is the one
I’ve waited for
A quick roll
Between fore finger and thumb
A touch
Of the lips
Cupped into my hands
A gentle building
Warmth consumes
And full life is breathed
Into the acorn
Four steps to the right
A finger thrust into the ground
In with the acorn
Covered
Patted
Prayer spoken
And I’m off
To the next rendezvous
Stephen Kellogg – 2010
Stephen Kellogg
Stephen Kellogg's Blog 
What a gift, Stephen. Thank-you. I love the imagery this presents. The waiting and the observation taking place is so intense. The planting of one tiny acorn. Makes me ponder the small things that make a difference in life and nature. Bravo!
Leslie,
The gift was your painting but I’m glad you appreciated the poem. Thanks for the encouraging comments. In this particular painting, I really had the feeling that I was tucked in behind some branches, looking out. That’s what gave me the start of the poem. Your comment “It is as though I am surrounded by a fairytale forest.” made me bend the rest of it to be an “Acorn Fairy.” Fun times… thanks again for the inspiration.
Peace,
Stephen
Very nice, who writes nature poetry like this anymore?! So, was it a little boy or a mischievous squirrel.. Ha ha.. I ask this because I have all my son’s acorn “treasures” saved up from a couple of years ago to show him when he grows up! 🙂
And thanks for letting me what you have been upto this summer! Wasn’t life meant to be that way, a never ending roller coaster!! :)) Hope you are all settled in now.
Enjoyed your friend’s paintings too!
Cheers for a beautiful day!
Rachana.
Rachana,
In short, someone who loves nature and has a friend who paints it well and is willing to post it just to inspire me to write poetry. Ok, ok she doesn’t really post them just to inspire me, she inspires lots of others too, but it’s fun to think it’s just for me 😀
And the little being in the poem is an “Acorn Fairy.” They catch certain acorns and plant them.. doncha know… 😉 I tried to relay that with the wings, the “Nothing detectable By humans” and the short “ritual” of planting the acorn.
I took this approach because of Leslie’s line in her description of the place as “It is as though I am surrounded by a fairytale forest.” Thanks for visiting Leslie’s blog, she deserves lots of visits. While I don’t paint (I have done a sketch or two) I really appreciate how she shows the progression of her work and how she got there.
Thanks for your comments
Peace,
Stephen
Turns out, I dont know! I have been googling this Acorn fairy thing now, oh my, there is a world out there I don’t know! See, for me personally, it is disappointing when my son tells me I don’t sing his Kindergarten poems the way we are “supposed” to.. For that reason, I call myself an American popculture idiot.. 😉 .. But, “tooth” fairy, yes, we had/have those back in India… He he.
Oh, oh, btw, I am amazed how you and Leslie, can see beauty and nature, and atleast momentarily distance yourself from this violent world, to capture the amazing side of life!
Great work guys!
Rachana
Rachana,
Now that’s just funny… I didn’t actually realize there was an “Acorn Fairy world” out there… I just made it up when I was making the poem, but you’re right, there’s apparently a ton of info out there. So, I you’re not alone, I didn’t know either!
BTW, I just went to a restaurant called “Royal India” with a coworker of mine who is from India. Wonderful food! Now I’m ready for a nap but have to get back to work.
I’m sure you could find some CD’s out there with the basic nursery / poem rhymes…
such as here http://tinyurl.com/2d96w2u
or you could likely find them on YouTube as well.
Thanks for the comments.
Peace,
Stephen
Thanks for the link! I will check it out 🙂
Hmmm, good Indian food, tell me about it, because I can’t seem to make it myself.. 😉
Have a great evening!
Rach
I really require your help with imagery. How you craft this scene and use your words to convey such a vivid image, it is inspiring. Some of us have a true knack for poetry, others don’t; you definately have an amazing talent.
Michael,
You’re one of the few readers who knows where I live… so stop by sometime and we’ll discuss this in more detail.
Thanks again for all the kind words!
Peace,
Stephen
This is one of my favorites of Leslie, and what wonderful writing to go along with it. Both painting and writing lead you further down the creek to find someone.
Yousei,
Thanks so much for the comments. I really fell in love with this painting as well. It just seems to transport you there so it feels like you can see and hear the life in the woods.
Peace,
Stephen
Asking questions are truly fastidious thing if you are not understanding something completely, except this piece of writing presents pleasant understanding yet.