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Maura McHugh's avatar

Beautiful poem! I'm so pleased I get weekly gems from you via Substack now. For at least that, 2023 needs to be thanked! ❤️

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Lynda E. Rucker's avatar

Thank you, Maura!

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David Surface's avatar

Lovely! I love the naming of the trees, how the sound of the names works as music for the poem…and then you kind of flip it with the last line, referencing the “occult names” we don’t get to hear. Really nicely done.

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Lynda E. Rucker's avatar

Thank you, David! I am a big fan of trees, and I think they know a lot more than they let on.

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Cheri Douglass's avatar

Lovely! And yes, wishing everyone a better new year.

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Robyn Keeler's avatar

I love this poem. This evokes Eliot (I think that's right, and I don't feel like Googling), who wrote about cats having secret names. If Carolyn is somehow still about, I think she is with the cats and the trees and their secret names.

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Lynda E. Rucker's avatar

Thank you, Robyn! It was Eliot, yes. And you are absolutely right about my mom. ♥️

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