Rag Trees

Rag trees are, of course, less common now. The faith that dressed them for centuries is in rapid decline. It's that fact that gives them a poignancy that's quite different to the  poignancy they had in their  heyday. Then it was sheer number of requests or appeals that hard-pressed believers had for the Almighty.

Rag Tree

A thousand dancers for Patrick’s stone eyes:

leg-kicking

heel-tapping

thigh-slapping;

each one a soul treading thin air.

A thousand clamours for Patrick’s stone ears:

tongue-clicking

finger-snapping

hand-clapping;

each petition a gutt'ring flare.