You crave a house;
a garden with a stately oak,
a library
a place to rest.
Walls you build with thoughts
and windows form from dreams
the roof is tiled by friendship;
so keep your gates unlocked
In winter you need warmth
that only love can give.
while summers could be
sea-breezed far away.
But if your fancy is
for mansions, moats and turrets
you have to leach the land,
cut the trees,
dredge the bluffs
and crush dreams of others.
Your house should wear its moccasins
never boots.
Cabin under the trees by Paul Gauguin
Gillena invites us to write about houses at toads. I thought about all the impact we are doing with the houses that we build, and how it affects nature and other humans. I will also link up to poetry pantry tomorrow.
—
October 28, 2017
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I love this poem. That last line is great, capturing the whole poem’s essence: “Your house should wear its moccasins
never boots.”
This line, Björn, “so keep your gates unlocked” is insightful and important. I think as we trudge through life, we put up guards who are overprotective of our hearts, and sometimes they forget to unlock the gates.
Yes Björn, we can tread lightly and swiftly on the wings of our thoughts to achieve dreams
I luv this house you have built. I particularly luv the roof
Yes, the warmth of love is the best kind of warmth of all! I like the idea of a house wearing moccasins as well….a soft and comfy feeling.
A super piece of writing! That last line is so clever and wise … it definitely has an unabating quality to it. Perhaps it is the adroit linkage between houses and the people who occupy them.
You are a gifted writer, but this may be one of my favorites from you. Everything about this is pitch-perfect.
“Walls you build with thoughts
and windows form from dreams
the roof is tiled by friendship;
so keep your gates unlocked” -What more can I say about this stanza? I wish I had thought of it first.
Love the second stanza “walls you build with thought…..” So beautiful and deep
The last one is poewerful with a great message. Fantastic poem
That last line is fantastic! What a lovely way to sing to the earth..tread softly indeed!
I like the unlocked gates, warmth of love and the masterful final line.
Oh yes, a lovely cosy house in its moccasins – perfect. I love the lines:
‘Walls you build with thoughts
and windows form from dreams
the roof is tiled by friendship;
so keep your gates unlocked’
and
‘…summers could be
sea-breezed far away’.
Sadly we are not looking after our world the Earth any more, year by year we will see species perish and poison spread across the land. A few will make a huge profit but where can they take it once the Earth is dead?
an ecological house built with such careful economy of words – all the softness of a moccasin sole!
I enjoyed reading your poem, being kind to nature’s so important when planning footprints.
Such a beautifully evocative poem, Bjorn! Love this perspective of a house and that last line is stellar!💞
Yes, yes! I call those mega houses Single Family Ramada Inns after a large motel chain here in the US. Why can’t we learn to live within the earth’s means?
I really dig “mocha sins” hiding in the title. I might have to borrow that.
Surely there’s a chocolate snake out there somewhere. I’ll have to hunt her down.
In other words, tread lightly through this world.
Your image is perfect for “the dream.”
Gorgeous, Bjorn. One of your best in my opinion.
I LOVE the mesage in this poem, especially the impact in your closing line. I also love the Tiny House movement.
I love and support the message behind this poem, A great write Björn.
We never realise that our dram home could be someone else’s nightmare. A very apt point you bring out here, but can it be rectified?
Moccasins all the way, I say. So that we can keep the warmth that truly matters. I really love this, Bjorn.
Our greedy demands often do not fill the empty spaces in our souls. I love the contrast of moccasins and boots, which aptly presents your thought. Brilliant!
Love this! I guess I too am with the moccasins–maybe when I was a 20 something I was still into boots–really well crafted write!
Perhaps our dreams, as well as our houses, should also wear moccasins,
Elizabeth
Awesome, Bjorn.
that last couplet really makes it whole.
namaste
JzB
A fascinating take on the impact our houses have in us, others and the environment….I love the image of ‘Your house should wear its moccasins never boots.’ So true if we want a peaceful home sanctuary!
I like wearing moccasins they are soft against my skin and when I enter my place, I take my shoes off and leave them at the door. I don’t want to carry in the heaviness of the soles. I enjoyed this one Bjorn, it made me pause to contemplate the deeper meaning.
We leave such a devastating footprint with our disrespect for Mother Earth. Your poem captures that thought so well.
wow! this has a new kind of approach to its subject. I mean for me it was.
Yes, tread lightly on other people’s dreams. This is gorgeous!
Last line a perfect summary!