The Website of Louisiana Storyteller Curt Iles

Wed. Sept. 1 Bent Trees are still Strong

September 1st, 2010 by Curt Iles

This is a poem by my dear cousin, Mary V. Iles Hudson.  She lives in Lake Charles and is full of live at 90+.

She is one of the last remaining great-grandchildren of my heroes in The Wayfaring Stranger/A Good Place,  Joe and Eliza Moore.

Perseverance

A seed fell on a certain spot.

Just how or when mankind knows not.

It pushed through sod to hold its head up straight.

Then quietly, trusting nature seemed to wait

For sunshine, rain, and wind.

How could it know t’would bend?

There must have come a storm so great until

It grasped that tree with hands like steel

And bent it o’er against its will.

O lovely leaning tree!

Explain your mystery, your charm,

So all may hear!

T’is though a small still voice speaks,

“Persevere!”

Mary V. Iles Hudson

Aunt Mary Vee Iles Hudson and Curt, 2008

Posted in Devotions having no comments »

About Creekbank Stories

Curt Iles writes from his hometown of Dry Creek, Louisiana. A lover of stories, nature, history, and dogs, he writes of the wonders of the woods and the memorable people who live there.

He and his wife DeDe are the parents of three sons and three grandsons. When not writing, Curt hikes, travels to Africa/Asia/Central America, gardens, plays the drums, and enjoys his family and lifetime country friends.

Creekbank Stories comes from his first book, Stories from the Creekbank, as well as his unique home town of Dry Creek.*

The purpose of Creekbank Stories is “Influencing the world with stories: beginning in a good place called the Louisiana Piney Woods and moving out as a ‘ripple effect’ to the world.”

*We are often asked about the origin of “Dry Creek.” Community historian Frank Miller stated, “Its Attakapa Indian name was “Beautiful Creek” and the English translation missed the word.”