In the quiet congress of the wild, a pilgrimage to glimpsing souls,
my feet, scribe upon earth’s parchment, tracing more than mere stroll.
Amidst this hallowed corridor of time, where shadows blend with light,
a whispered tale in petal and thorn, blooms against the blight.
Each step a verse, each breath a rhyme, history’s heavy tome unfurled,
I found the weeping of the trail, in one small blossom curled.
A bloom of haunting lineage, legacy’s delicate face,
symbols etched in nature’s heart, through gentle, floral grace.
White petals hold the grieving. the echo of a mother’s cry,
a golden core, the looted earth, under a solemn sky.
Seven leaves like clans adjoin, in unity they stand,
strength in numbers, stories told, across the time-stitched land.
Stood amongst the echoes of the Cherokee’s despair,
where sorrow’s soil has sprouted hope, the Rose does declare.
Its roots entwined with memory, where tears and blood converge,
a living testament, a people’s will an endurance, an urge.
By whispering winds, it’s carried, the spirit of the past,
a reminder that resilience, in nature’s love, will last.
Thus the Cherokee Rose, memorial, in simple beauty sways,
a silent ode to survival, from the darkest of bygone days.
A native of Louisiana, Daniel F. James is a poet whose introspective and conversational style invites readers into a shared journey of self-examination and reflection. Now residing in East Tennessee, he draws profound inspiration from the region’s rivers and mountains, which serve as both the backdrop and sanctuary for his creative process.
As a U.S. Army veteran, he has faced and overcome the challenges of post-war life, channeling his experiences into poetry as a source of solace and healing. Writing has become his refuge, a therapeutic outlet where he finds renewal and strength through the rhythm of words.
His work has been featured in “A Thin Slice of Anxiety,” “The Tennessee Magazine,” and the poetry anthology “Bayou Blues and Red Clay,” showcasing the depth of his artistry and his ability to translate personal struggles into universal truths.
**Featured image: 1894 Cherokee Roses on a Purple Cloth by Martin Johnson Heade – Wikimedia pub dom