books – Heather Comina

The Signal Tree

I recently had the pleasure of joining some fellow poets and artists to read some of the poems and enjoy the artwork included in the latest Poets Trail anthology compiled by renowned local artist Linda Benton.

The theme of this anthology is Didcot Oaks and other notable trees. It is a celebration of the many oak (and other) trees that are scattered across the Didcot landscape and beyond. I was delighted that my poem – The Signal Tree – has been included. Linda has created a marvellous depiction of the tree which captures the essence of her being.

The Signal Tree painting – reproduced with kind permission of the artist Linda Benton

I first met the Signal Tree during the lockdown period of 2020. I found her, or rather she found me, on a walk through the local fields. The world seemed to slow down around her. I stood in awe. She was enormous, I could reach around but a fraction of her girth. I tried to imagine how long she had stood in that place, what she might have witnessed.

The Signal Tree – photo courtesy of Katherine Comina

Only later did I discover that she is a rare tree, possibly 200 years old, or more. A female Black Poplar of which there are only two to three thousand remaining in the UK. She is the source of inspiration for my novel – Generation 8 – my imagining of the story she might tell; the wisdom she might have to share.

The Signal Tree

In the corner of a field stands a tree.
It is nearing the close of its time gracing the verge of the meadow,
hosting many generations of short-lived things.
It is a tree of haphazard beauty, of riven bark and broken branches.
Twisting roots delve into the banks of what was once a tumbling brook,
now just a trickle running dry each summer.
Soon it will share one last winter with us before, with rotten trunk,
it succumbs to the roaring gusts of an easterly storm.
~
In the corner of a field stands a tree.
It is a signal tree standing watch over this place.
Like the generations of long-decayed ancestors,
holding testament to the transforming landscape,
casting shadows into memories, imprinting patterns in the very tissues of their wood.
~
In the corner of a field stands a tree.
It is the Signal Tree, waiting patiently to be found, to be seen.
Not seen with just the eyes but seen with all the senses.
Waiting to be known in ways long forgotten, to be known and understood.
Waiting to share the burden of its secrets, the millennia of memories passed from ancestor to clone, the patterns in their wood.
~
In the corner of a field stood a tree.
It was the last of a long family line,
each generation somehow casting forth a path into the future.
Spread not just by seed, but by clone, sucker, windthrow.
It was the daughter of an ancient tree,
not two hundred years alive, but one thousand years or more,
springing forth from the mother of her kind.
And yet, we should not lament the passing of this tree.
When in the darkness we stand, seemingly alone,
we should open our minds, our hearts, our senses
to all the wisdoms of our pasts, to the faintest whispers in the wood.

Do not give up; our hope is strong.
Heather Comina, 2022

The Signal Tree poem provides a linking thread woven through the unfolding tale of Generation 8. A tale of the local parish, the community (of people and other beings), the land. A tale of reconnection. A tale of hope for our future and that of the next generation.

Find out More…

Generation 8 discount code – closing soon!

If you are looking for a thoughtful and inspirational gift for a friend or loved one then I am still offering a supporter discount of 15% on my novel Generation 8.

Stories akin to the age old wisdom tales can be an effective current day means of communicating important ideas such as solutions to our climate and ecological crisis.

Generation 8 is my wisdom story mediated through a deep connection to nature, our sense of place and belonging, laying stepping stones towards a better future.

“…Generation 8 is a metaphor for hope and possibility once we open our eyes to the myriad ways for humans to connect with nature and to think long term in the interests of future generations. …And it’s a really good story, with lively, sympathetic characters who you will remember long after you’ve put the book down. Read it!“

Jane Davidson, author of ‘#Futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country’, Chelsea Green 2020

To claim your discount go to the Troubador online bookshop and enter the code Regener8 at the checkout page – Happy reading!

Green Book Launch

Art in its many forms be it paintings, poetry, songs or stories, has the power to evoke strong feelings and emotions; providing a link to memories which are often deeper and more sensual than the art itself, a gateway to deeper meaning.

No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they never experienced.
Sir David Attenborough

When we have the chance to be immersed in nature we have the opportunity to capture our experiences, our sense of joy and wonder and transform them into new pictures, poems, stories – stories we can share with others, helping to strengthen their connection with nature, encouraging them to experience it for themselves.

This weekend I had the pleasure of joining local artist Linda Benton and some of the poets from The Poets Trail – Green Theme to share our stories and talk about how our experiences of the natural environment in our local village had inspired us and helped us to feel more connected.

Our friends from the local sustainability group, HUGS, were on hand to share information about local biodiversity projects and stimulate our senses and imaginations with their “What’s in the box?” exhibit featuring a wide range of natural objects. The descriptions we came up with were then transformed into poems by some of the resident poets – a real case of art in action!

Amidst the chatter and copious quantities of tea and cake we took turns to discuss the inspiration behind our work and read short passages. Below is an excerpt of the story I shared with the group about my novel – Generation 8.

In 2020, during lockdown, I had the chance to explore our local area and I challenged myself to learn about the trees I saw. One day I came across and amazing tree; at the time I didn’t know her name. Later I found out that she was a Black Poplar, a relatively rare tree. She was glorious with long straggly branches some of which were interwoven with ivy, others old and dying. Her enormous trunk with characteristic deeply grooved and riven bark, dotted here and there with little holes, homes to many tiny creatures. In her corner of the field she seemed to be standing watch, taking note of all that passed.

I felt connected to her in a way that is hard to explain. It was as if she had something to share, if I only I knew how to ask. I wondered what she might have witnessed in her lifetime of maybe 200 years. What story would she tell? I imagined it would be a story of our Parish, the wildlife, the people, our community, the land. How things had slowly altered over the passage of 7 human generations, steadily becoming less vibrant.

Generation 8 is my attempt to tell this story – an exploration of lost connections over the passage of 7 generations; an attempt to regain a sense of place and belonging; an imagined future more attuned to nature; a future where the next generation – Generation 8 – might thrive.

Generation 8 is available in paperback and e-book formats – follow the link below to purchase your copy https://www.troubador.co.uk/bookshop/contemporary/generation-8/