The Tree Theory

This was a short prose work of mine that I did not take as immensely seriously as a poem, but I did face more creatively and open-mindedly then any poem I have written before.

This lengthy paragraph is essentially a philosophical metaphor for life, and the final floating line is also a part of the philosophical theory.

I felt that it was appropriate to include several meanings of some of the symbolism in the theory, since this entire piece is all about how well you understand it.

Tree = life
Rain drop = you
The dead compose the tree, and "giving life to others" symbolizes being important to other future rain drops.

The Tree Theory

All your life is a tiny rain drop on a tree. The drop slowly slithers down the leaves of the tree. Some leaves are smooth, some leaves are bright, and some are dark. Once in a while you as a rain drop will have to crawl across a rigid branch of the tree, but if you persevere you shall once again skid down the tree gracefully. As you begin to age, your body weakens as you skid down the rough bark of the tree. When you are old, you find that the roots of the tree are in your sight. The end of your preset journey becomes closer and closer to concluding. Finally, you soak into the roots of the tree, and your journey finally ceases. But you should not worry, for you have left along the tree your trail of water, and now you power life itself for others, even though you are dead.

The meaning of life is to skid down a tree, and eventually be soaked into the tree to give life to the others who glide down it.

This is a very interesting metaphor. I like how it also ties into the ancient ideas of the tree of life, offering a vision of it.

In a metaphoric-philosophical sense then, what sorts of raindrops are the ones that slither down the tree and end up being broken into smaller droplets, or fall off the leaves of the tree straight to the ground below?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dauthi

This is a very interesting metaphor. I like how it also ties into the ancient ideas of the tree of life, offering a vision of it.

In a metaphoric-philosophical sense then, what sorts of raindrops are the ones that slither down the tree and end up being broken into smaller droplets, or fall off the leaves of the tree straight to the ground below?

---

To analogically philosophize with you, I would say that the rain drops that split into multiple drops in a tree means that something in your life has happened that has split who you are. A traumatic experience, or a life-changing experience that has divided you. Most likely, it is negative.


The leaves that fall into the ground are the people who have unfortunately perished. They have never finished their journey to the roots of the tree.

I like it, but I think the word 'skid' makes it seem less, I don't know, 'philosophical', in a way. It just doesn't seem to be the right word for your metaphor. Other than that, it's well-written and intelligent. I like it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MrBosnia

This was a short prose work of mine that I did not take as immensely seriously as a poem, but I did face more creatively and open-mindedly then any poem I have written before.

This lengthy paragraph is essentially a philosophical metaphor for life, and the final floating line is also a part of the philosophical theory.

I felt that it was appropriate to include several meanings of some of the symbolism in the theory, since this entire piece is all about how well you understand it.

Tree = life
Rain drop = you
The dead compose the tree, and "giving life to others" symbolizes being important to other future rain drops.

The Tree Theory

All your life is a tiny rain drop on a tree. The drop slowly slithers down the leaves of the tree. Some leaves are smooth, some leaves are bright, and some are dark. Once in a while you as a rain drop will have to crawl across a rigid branch of the tree, but if you persevere you shall once again skid down the tree gracefully. As you begin to age, your body weakens as you skid down the rough bark of the tree. When you are old, you find that the roots of the tree are in your sight. The end of your preset journey becomes closer and closer to concluding. Finally, you soak into the roots of the tree, and your journey finally ceases. But you should not worry, for you have left along the tree your trail of water, and now you power life itself for others, even though you are dead.

The meaning of life is to skid down a tree, and eventually be soaked into the tree to give life to the others who glide down it.

---

Indeed this is a very intersting poem, and a very good metaphor. Life is really like a drop of water, and of course it slithers down the leaves of the tree.

Indeed this is very touching.

I think this is one of the better metaphors for life that I have read, I still have to favor the much simpler, "lifes a ***** and then you die," though.