The Old Shed - poem
Poems by yours truly
- Flowers and Rainbows - a poem about the frilly thing...
When is thelast time you stopped to enjoy something, or painted a rainbow? This poem examines the balance between the serious and the simple pleasures in life. - The Cats Will Play - a poem
One big and strong One small and brave This is how The felines play - Wounded - a poem
Caught off guard while dwelling in comfort Basking in the warmth of a glowing sun Lost in feelings of safety, serenity - Uncommon Beauty - haiku
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What is beauty anyway?
Old shed sits in an overgrown field
Dilapidated collection of beams and boards
Once sturdy now darkening with decay
What was its purpose in its days of utility
Something was kept safe behind those doors
Now barely hanging by one last rusty hinge
Rain, wind, and sun were kept at bay
By roof and walls sealed strong and tight
Now slivers of sun shine through gaps and holes
Does it matter what it was back then
Purpose has been served and time goes on
Farm’s been sold and farmer and family gone
What could that old shed matter now
Abandoned by one, neglected by next
Left to crumble at its own slow pace
It matters enough to that passerby
Who saw beauty in those beaten boards
And snapped a photo from the passenger window
It matters to the tabby cat
Seeking shelter from the elements
As she nurses her hungry litter
And feasts on mice nesting in debris
Venturing out to hunt insects and fungus
Hiding and growing in crevices dark and moist
Vines climb and grasp the weathered wood
Shoddy shed now dressed in flowers white
Soon to give way to berries dark and sweet
Old solitary shed matters to the tiny birds
Perching on an increasingly precarious roof
Nibbling berries and posing for roadside photos
Old shed in an overgrown field sure matters
To cats and mice, berried vines and birds
And budding photographer with an eager eye
When simple shed has crumbled and fallen
And all that remains a patch of soil
Rich from decomposition of what once was
Flowers will grow and bloom with colors bright
Glorious attraction for butterflies and bees
Catching the eye and lens of the next passerby
An old shed sits in an overgrown field
Matters not to owners past or present
Yet matters the world to so many more
Comments
That was really beautiful, Dana! It takes a great eye to see so much in an old weathered building. Great job!
Dana!!! This is absolutely wonderful...the beautiful connections to all the multitude of lifeforms supported by a weathered but picturesque old shed...this is brilliant....Sharing for sure, Voted Up, Awesome, Beautiful, and interesting...there should be more buttons like one for 'freakin' amazing. What empathy and sensitivity...I'd love to think someday I could do something half as lovely as this....
I have often photographed an old shed or barn because I loved its weathered look, but you've captured so much more than the image with your poetry, you've captured it's essence. This is a very beautiful poem, Dana, and I love it!
I stopped to read this poem the moment I saw the picture of the old shed. That's MY grampa's old shed. Okay, it's not, but it very well could have been! And your words were so right, precisely describing and old farmer's shed that no longer had a purpose. My brother and I tried to make it ours, as children, a kind of clubhouse on the top of a mountain bordering a clearing, but it was too far for everyday use. I think the critters were happier for that. I'm glad you have these memories of your brother, and thank your for reminding me of some I have with mine.
Yes, we should definitely not take things for granted even as we move on. Thanks for sharing, Dana, and I am passing this lovely poem on.
Hi Dana, lovely poem, exploring the inside and outside of the old shed. Your words give us another picture, in addition to the one on your Hub.
Enchanting. You painted a very romantic picture. Thank you
How many of us have looked at old sheds and had similar thoughts...but none of us the talent to write so beautifully about it!
Voted up and awesome.
This poem is filled with truth yeilded from a powerfully creative and talented poetic mind. I sense you can feel the decaying of things in your mind, and also the beauty of this life and all that it entails as you sense the scenery around you Dana.
This isn't an easy thing to do to accurately detail the tapestry the nature, and the time change and period of things in its passing away and uprooting growth rates.
Wow! is all I could think about when I keep on reading each lovely well crafted line and poetic verse after verse.
You definitely have a powerful understanding of the usage of words, and their connection to physical things in the environment you've just wrote about (Simply amazing!), and this tells a lot about how educated of a person you truly are, besides the deep inward feelings you have for your love connection to that of the outside world.
Compelling poem, you have blown me completely away! Whoa!! thumbs up super high and sharing this one everywhere I can.
What a wonderful visual piece of art you've presented here dear poet. You have taken your poetic brush and from you palette of many colors you painted us your readers the stages of age of this old shed. I felt the history behind your imagery. Simply brilliant work, thank you for sharing it here, voted up and shared my fine poet.
GREAT! Excellent observation! Voting up and sharing! Keep up the good work!
Very pretty, I photograph these too, knowing there is something luring about them and you have given that new meaning.
Wow that shed looks familiar.. How did you know? lol I love the poem.. it does matter that old shed.. has a history and now the rats and snakes and bugs are enjoying it.. wonderful my friend.. thank you for enlighten my day
Debbie
What a beautiful depiction of an old decaying shed in the field. We have seen many of them as well as abandoned out buildings on our many trips across parts of America. Knowing that this was also intertwined with thoughts of your brother who snapped a picture out of a car window of just such a shed made this all the sweeter. May he rest in peace and may you always have sweet memories of him. Up and beautiful votes.
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THANK YOU to everyone that has commented, voted and shared. wow!
I ADDED a PHOTO taken BY MY BROTHER. I am still waiting to get a digital copy of his shed! I WILL BE BACK LATER TO RESPOND TO ALL THE WONDERFUL MESSAGES!
Dana, you explain the surroundings so well I feel I am there too! A beautiful description xx
When I take photos, even bad ones, I try to seesome kind of beauty in it. I will spend eons looking for sure! When I read your line, " saw beauty in those beaten boards", I thought of how much beauty you have inside to share to the word through such beautiful words. This was bu-ti-ful :)
Dana, this is wonderful, so evocative. I can see that old shed, I can see the overgrown ground, the brambles and vines. I can smell the damp air inside and see the straw gathered in corners by chilly little rodents - great poem.
What an incredible poem, it sounds like that shed needed its story to be told. Thank you for sharing! Jamie
Beautifully descriptive piece--and so evocative--
Just beautiful Dana. You have the ability to lift a mundane thing from obscurity to great worth again.
Such a true poem. All the things that an old shed does for so many creatures as well as providing oodles of character for a photo. If old shed could talk! Imagine all they have seen and how they would thank you for caring for them again.
Bob
Absolutely beautiful Dana. Your story showed through, all the people who had been there, the cat and so on, wonderful piece of writing, sharing and voted! nell
We had an old shed similar to this in our backyard when I was a child. IT brings back many good memories. Enjoyed your poem.
Voted up. Great poetry. There is a certain mystery and wonder to things like old sheds and your poetry brought so much interesting imagery of cats and birds and nature. Enjoyed and passing this on.
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Bill - thanks for popping in right away to check this one out. Just because things are old, doesn't mean they don't still have a lot to offer.
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D.Juris Stetser - oh my what lovely words. Thank you so much for the votes. I am so glad you connected with this the way you did.... Don't sell yourself short. You can do anything you put your heart into. You have done so many very lovely things and have many more to offer.
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Stephanie Henkel - Those old sheds really do make for great photos, as do a lot of things many people just pss by. It takes a special eye to notice them. My little brother took so many amazing photos of sheds, fences, signs. I am so impressed by them. Lately, for some reason, I find myself wondering about the stories of those sheds, whart they were and why they are there.... I hope you find many more sheds and other interesting thins to capture in photos.
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JUST NOW ABLE TO START REPLYING TO ALL OF YOUR WONDERFUL COMMENTS. Thanks again.
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jbshaban - Hack. Maybe that is grandpa's shed. I got the photo from flckr until I can get one of my brother's. My dad has them... I think that is really great that you and your brother tried to make the shed your own. My older brother and I had a tree forth and we had some great times in there! I am sure there were some critters enjoying your grnadpa's shed... Thank you so much for this cimment. It is wonderful to learn about your memories. :)
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midget38 - Michelle, my thoughts exactly. There is always so much more to things, and people too, than what we see at a glance. .... thank you so much for sharing this.
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Vickiw - I am pleased to know that I was able to paint you a picture of what lies beneath. I have a habit of looking at things on more than one level. Sometimes it drives me batty, and sometimes it results in a poem. :)
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Mhatter99 - An old shed and enchanting and romantic. It warms my heart to know that is what came through for you. As always I am so truly happy you stopped by.
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tillsontitan - You make an interesting comment. I have a feeling there are many out there with the talent, BUT how many have the desire or the heart to see past the surface of things.... Thank you for the votes, and the thought provoking comment.
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CloudExplorer - Wow. Thank you so very much for the amazing comment and compliments regarding my poem and me... What I did for this shed, looked beyond the surface to it's depth and connections with the world is what you do with the urban images you so beautifully capture and pair with words....
I was thinking just recently how my education influences the way I view things. I have a background in biology and psychology. I can't look at anything in nature without seeing it's life and niche and it's place in the ecosystem. I can't look at a person without wondering what is under the surface. I am just now learing how to put it into words so that others can experience it with me... I get better at it every day....
Thanks for sharing this. See you around.
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Vincent Moore - Another visit from one of my favorite poets! I am so pleased that I could take you through the life of this old shed. I do love to share my experiences and feeling with my friends. Thankyou so much for voting and sharing.
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Lisa Luv - We can see amazing things if we just stop and look a little closer sometimes. So happy you liked this enough to share :)
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Jackie Lynnley - They do make such wonderful photos, don't they? It is said that a pictire tells a thousand words, I simply put a few of them down in writing. Thank you for reading them.
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Debbie - oooh snakes. I love snakes. Now I feel like a need to write a snale poem..... Yes. That shed has history, and it matters, at every stage of its life. Just like people do.
Luv u Dear! xx
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Peggy W - It is amazing how many of these sheds dot the landscape. I have taken many road trips and they are always a part of the scenery... My little brother had such a great way of capturing conrty scenery. He did with photos what a poet does with words. It was such a beautiful feeling to be inspired by him....
Thank you so mich for you sweet comment, and for voting.
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Christy - I am so very hapy that my words allowed you to join me here. That is what I love about writing - giving experiences to my readers, andmy friends. :) xx
I'll never look at an old shed the same way again! :)
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AudraLeigh - Everything has beauty in it. I think my favorite beauty is the kind that is not obvious or that comes out of soething "unbeautiful". Thanks for a beautiful comment. xx
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Jools99 - Julie, I am so pleased that I was able to awaken your senses in such a wonderful way. What a treat to read your comment. Thank you for sharing this with me.
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jhamann - Exactly! I really did feel like I needed to tell this story. All of a sudden one day these sheds stopped being just sheds. Then all of a sudden I got the ned to share that. How keen of you to pick up on it.
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AudreyHowitt - Thank you. I enjoyed writing this.
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diogenes - Bob, it is so nice to see you here. What a lovely comment. You see, the shed was never mundane, but the perception of it was. It is such a shame that old things sometimes get passed over as being less alive or less important. Everything has worth, everything has a story. It is the job of folks like me to bring that story to folks like you.
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Nell - Thank you for voting and sharing. Thanks also for the comment. So happy you enjoyed this - knowing that mkes the writing that much more enjoyable.
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teaches12345 - happy to bring back good memories. :)
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Gypsy Rose Lee - I really enjoyed teasing out what sorts of things that old shed might be hiding, and what might be in its future. Thank you for passing along the fun.
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Sunshine625 - Then I have done my job!.... You know I love to write because I enjoy it. When others enjoy it, and when I can leave something with the reader, that is so meaninful for me.... Your comment might be short, but it is one of my favorites. :)
Excellent poem Dana! Really enjoyed the read.
Have seen many of these along the way, and wanted to take a photo too.
Voted up ++++ and sharing
God bless, Faith Reaper
Beautiful, beautiful awesome poem. Voted way up.
Lovely poem, Dana. You have captured the ambiance and the essence of an old shed that is ready to crumble, yet now has a useful purpose to nature. Once new and useful to humans, it now is a haven to critters and one day will return to the earth, to provide ever more useful gifts.
Well done! Voted up and beyond.
Very engaging . Voted up and away.
A wonderful poem Dana and thank you for sharing this gem.
Eddy.
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Faith Reaper - So please you enjoyed this enough to share. Old shed really do make such beautiful and inetersting photos. It must be their story shining through.
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Vellur - I guess you likes it! You have me doing a happy dance :)
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Phyllis Doyle - Thank you for the lovely comment. Yes, that old shed is so many things and will become so many things. I am delighted that I could tell its story in a way that others are able to enjoy it.
Thank you for the votes and the follow. See you around
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dghbrh - so nice to see you again! I am glad you like this.Thank you for the vote. I am following you now too. See you around!
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Eiddwen - Eddy! I am SO happy you found this one. Even happier that you like it. :)
It is a great tribute to things old but useful, with a beauty over time within the eye of the beholder. So many stories can be told from such a view as an old shed. Great write! : ) Awesome and up in votes.
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dreamseeker2 - Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am pleased that you connected with the sentiments of this poem. It is so satisfying to know my worlk is undserstood and enjoyed. :)
The central imagery in this poem stand for loneliness, pain and suffering. I liked how you use interesting metaphors.
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Vinaya - thank you for feeling my words in addition to reading them. that is what poetry is to me. it is putting emotion and senses on a page so that they can jump off the page to the reader.
I loved how much you got out of one image of the shed. Such emotions from it! I enjoyed the journey and the poem very much!
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