Olive tree come stand by me
So I may share your peace,
Lean against your trunk,
Hide beneath your shade,
And can I take a piece of you
To keep for memories?
Maybe a leaf, or two, a twig,
Perhaps a branch?
To guide me in your wisdom and your power,
And stay with me forever and a day?
Your top leaf green tells me my life is good,
The silver underside that I am rich,
For all you have to offer
Is more beyond compare
Than any mortal pleasure
That I may find down here.
****
The olive branch was often a symbol of abundance and peace.
The leafy branches of the olive tree were ritually offered to deities and
powerful figures as emblems of benediction and purification, and they
were used to crown the victors of friendly games and bloody wars.
Today, olive oil is still used in many religious ceremonies. Over the years,
the olive has been the symbol of peace, wisdom, fertility, power and purity.
****
© Copyright 2015 Robin McShane
The photo is licensed under
the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike
3.0 Unported license.
Attribution: Channel R at the English language Wikipedia
That olive tree must be over 400 years old its huge
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Hi Justine – they estimate around 1500 years! Stunning, hey!
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Wow goodness. That’s awesome. I went to the south of France and where we stayed there were 300-400 yr old olive trees. So glorious they are, they are fascinating the shapes they grow in to x
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They are awesome aren’t they!
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I was struck by the same line Cynthia gravitated toward: the associations of green and silver.
Incidentally, olive trees do not grow well here. Not enough of a Mediterranean climate, I suppose.
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Interesting! Thanks Prospero. Of course, you may already have an abundance of the attributes accredited to the Olive tree leaving futile purpose and little space for its seeding and growth?
On the other hand, could just be the climate… 🙂
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There’s something so wise and other-worldly about an ancient olive tree…and I like the way you befriend it in this poem, Rob…especially the lines “..your top leaf green tells me my life is good, the silver underside that I am rich…” Here, the cadence and imagery reflect what is almost a timelessness about the tree. I enjoyed it very much!
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Thank you Cynthia! Your comments always appreciated. Pleased you enjoyed it! 🙂
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Excellent use of imagery, Rob
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Thanks Derrick. Apologies for lack of comments on your blog – still plagued with double vision! Making life a little tricky and time – consuming at the moment! 🙂
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No problem Rob. Fully understood. I will enjoy them when you can
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Thanks Derrick.
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