CONTEST FINALIST

​Congratulations to the following winners of the WFT Poetry Contest for March 25, 2019
"On Trees".

THE GOLD AWARD

THE GOLD AWARD goes Eric for his poem LIFE THROUGH DEATH which offers a nice flowing, informative, full circle view of the life of a tree.

​While strolling through the woods one day,
as I walked on that unmade bed,
I came upon an unknown way,
and took the path to where it led.
A Silver Birch to my dismay-

lay prone upon that forest floor,
crushing the Red cap on its fall,
This symbol of what was before,
a once proud tree that stood so tall
Where Woodpeckers will peck no more.

Its silver bark both dull and grey,
leaves of green no longer there,
A splendid sight within its day,
no more red buds this tree will bear,
Its slender trunk wasting away.

Once stock of food for woodland bird,
a winter place where Siskins fed,
Beauteous songs no longer heard,
their source of life was lying dead,
To forest floor now well anchored.

Yet even in this tree's death throe,
it feeds the ground - drenches the earth,
Beneath its corpse new things will grow
producing life - creating birth,
Nature's own Michelangelo.

​THE SILVER AWARD

THE SILVER AWARD goes Ursula for her poem PACIFIC DOGWOOD which offers a picturesque view in word form of the life of a Dogwood tree.

Nestled in the dense sloping 
forests, the pacific dogwoods have begun their 
unfurling.
Under giant conifers' umbrellas, 
a spring waltz commences.

Each dainty pincushion flower 
is bracketed by large petal like leaves-
you think the petals are the flower, 
but really it’s the orange yellow button center
that produces bird‘s favorite fall appetizer. 

They resemble giant white four leaf clovers. 
Tulip like fat spade- shaped bracts
each tipped with a touch of dun earth color,
veins slightly wet brushed 
sage green for a light bleed.

Dappled by filtered sunlight, 
they present themselves to forest’s court-
wearing their broach like 
opalescent white blooms-
ardently full of themselves.