Bonsai Dreams
For the "Roots and Branches" challenge
Stunted
Shallowly rooted
Trimmed and shaped by
Another’s hand
☀️🪴⋆˚࿔
Years of training-box-bound restriction
Left me a meager, spindly trunk and branches
Wire wrapped to sculpt and
Maintain my forced configuration
Planted atop a slab of rock
Left naked in the wind
☀️🪴⋆˚࿔
Careless motion sent me toppling
Dislodged my roots, sought soil and security
Embedded in the real world
Explosive growth, abundance behold
Leaves shooting towards the sun
The rapid expansion of freedom
Strengthening arms broken free of
Weak wiry bonds
Thrown to the heavens
In gratitude and verdant praise
K.B. Silver
I have always loved Bonsai trees. The amazing ways nature is adaptable and mutable. When grown in a small, shallow box, a tree shrinks and grows, but only large enough to fit in the container. If transplanted into free soil, it will grow rapidly. Though it may never reach the heights a seed that fell in open soil would have, it will grow as large as it needs.
I think the comparison to people is obvious. People may be able to survive, even appear to thrive, in harsh, limiting circumstances, but they can and will grow if given the freedom to do so. No one is a closed book as long as they are living.
About the Creator
K.B. Silver
K.B. Silver has poems published in magazine Wishbone Words, and lit journals: Sheepshead Review, New Note Poetry, Twisted Vine, Avant Appa[achia, Plants and Poetry, recordings in Stanza Cannon, and pieces in Wingless Dreamer anthologies.
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CH 12~ Dear Frannie
The day Azure and her team left, all contact with Old Sanctville, physical or magical, was cut off; it had been two weeks since then. This was the most visible sign since “The Unpleasantness” started nearly a year prior that something very unpleasant was indeed unfolding in the Eidru homeland. That, and the level of security measures enacted across the empire, had not been seen since the Ambersmire Confederation succeeded.
By K.B. Silver Exclusive • 2 months ago
Comments (8)
Great job. I like to look at bonsai trees too, but I have never wanted to take the copious amount of time to do them and train them and keep trimming them. Good luck in the challenge.
good and great job
The image of the Bonsai tree being "trimmed and shaped by another's hand" versus the "explosive growth" once it hits free soil is something so many people can relate to. Congratulations on getting Top Story!
Perfect metaphor.Worth reading.
This is a perfect metaphor! Freedom allows people to grow into who they are when no restricting forces or circumstances try to reshape them. I loved it so much! 🧡
Back to say congratulations on your Top story, KB 🎊🎉🎊♥️🤗🖤
This is such a powerful metaphor your imagery beautifully shows how freedom allows us to expand far beyond what we thought possible.
I will forever be amazed at how we were able to accomplish this: stunt the bonsai trees. Miniature nature—box bound. I like the slow pace in the beginning. When it sped up with longer lines, you became the bonsai—you embodied it, showing what careless motion could do. I couldn't agree more with your author's note. The comparison to people was smart, and I love how bold and certain your words were. It gave me confidence in knowing that I am not a closed book. I am definitely thriving now where I am, rather than in the environment I was once in. This piece was outstanding. 🤗🖤❤️