Open Secrets

Be the first to favourite this.

Long listed for the 2023 Urban Tree festival writing competition


Trees aren’t in general a secretive bunch by nature, 
They don’t so much spy on us
As reflect our shortcomings back upon us.

Look to the uplands and highlands;
That greenish blue army of uphill marching clones,
A fenced off monoculture crop sold to us by the lackeys of money grubbers 
As ‘forestry’
Is simply depletion
Written large in a bird’s eye.

That London city Plane tree
“My word, a huge specimen!”
Overfed on the exhausted, carbon dioxide heavy ‘Old Smoke’ air.

Those last remaining Caledonian pines, 
Black on mauve and
Stranded over the nearest two horizons, 
Too far out to fetch down
For Nelson’s cannons.

  • Read other longlisted entries from the 2023 Urban Tree Festival competition
  • Itching to write something yourself? Submit a piece to our Shorelines project, and invite your friends to read it aloud. Join one of our creative writing workshops or keep up to date with all our competitions by signing up to our curated newsletter here.
  • PETER ISAACSON

    PETER ISAACSON

    Peter Isaacson is an increasingly lazy person who hides in the Inner Hebrides where he tinkers with (and quite often breaks) stuff.

    Leave a Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Also check out

    Post
    Foul Weather, Wild Fowl

    1 Sep, 2023

    Longlisted for the 2023 Write about Walking A/way competition.

    Post
    New
    East Hynish Lighthouse Cottages

    28 Apr, 2024

    Shortlisted in the Neighbourhood Narratives writing competition - East Hynish Lighthouse Cottages

    Post
    Poetree (an urban forest shanty)

    1 Apr, 2023

    Poetree by Bin Rich long listed in the 2023 Urban Tree festival writing competition.

    Post
    Send in the Clowns

    1 Sep, 2023

    Longlisted for the 2023 Write about Walking A/way competition.

    Post
    Evergreen

    1 Apr, 2023

    Evergreen by Em Gray long listed in the 2023 Urban Tree festival writing competition.

    Post
    This Leaf

    1 Apr, 2023

    This Leaf by Penny Denman long listed for the 2023 Urban Tree festival competition.

    Post
    When the Bough Holds Strong

    1 Apr, 2023

    When the Bough Holds Strong by Andrew Halsall Smith long listed for the 2023 Urban Tree festival writing competition.

    Post
    Tree

    1 Apr, 2023

    Tree by Admoni long listed in the 2023 Urban Tree festival writing competition.

    News
    New
    It's submission time for local government long term plans

    2 May, 2024

    Post
    A tree with no name

    1 Apr, 2023

    The tree with no name by Diane Jackman long listed for the 2023 Urban Tree festival writing competition.

    Post
    Jacaranda: Blue On Blue

    1 Apr, 2023

    Jacaranda: Blue on Blue by John Bowen long listed in the 2023 Urban Tree festival writing competition.

    Post
    Death of a Veteran – south London 1973

    1 Apr, 2023

    Death of a Veteran - south London 1973 by Arthur Sparrow long listed in the 2023 urban Tree festival writing competition.