Is a tree meant to be climbed?
Silly me
Is a verse meant to be rhymed?
Could it be
It's how or when it's all timed?
In the span of a moment or lifetime
A grade-school boy up in a tree
Maybe ten
Chastised by a father who wanted it be
Grounded then
He said those trees were meant to be free
Let them grow so they reach to the sky
Young boy now at his father's age
Days now past
Years gone by like the turning of a page
Way too fast
Too old to climb trees - Oh the Rage!
Let them grow 'til the shade hides the sun
Yes, that was me being in trouble for climbing in a pair of hard maple trees as a youngster. Even though I was small, I could have damaged the young trees at the time. I realize this now that my climbing days are over (or are they?)
I drove by the old homestead a few weeks ago, I hadn't been there for a long time. A flood changed the town forever years ago but one of the maples that Dad planted remain. I need to get seeds before it's lost to memories.
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| Just a few of the walnut trees waiting for spring (much too young to climb) |
Posted at Poets and Storytellers United: Weekly Scribblings #63: Trees
It seems this prompt is arousing childhood memories for quite a few of us! And after all that, how wonderful to see that one of the trees your Dad planted is still there!
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. Sadly, many others that Dad planted, with help from my and my brothers, are gone after the land was sold.
DeleteThank you, Rosemary
I'm glad he planted the trees. Glad you remember. And I like the form of this poem, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Priscilla. Sometimes a rhythm gets in my head and once in a while it fits.
DeleteTight, and fun poem. I feel like planting trees now.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ollie. (I could use the help planting this year - no obligation, of course)
DeleteGenerations can enjoy the growth of a tree. The memories go on and on.
ReplyDeleteThank is a great thought, Debi. Thank you. Someday, maybe our grandchildren will enjoy the trees we've planted.
DeleteWonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sara. This also reminds me that I need to retrieve seeds from that tree.
DeleteWhat child can resist climbing a tree?? Oh, those were the days!
ReplyDeleteEspecially those of us who misbehaved once in a while. Thank you, Yvonne.
DeleteI was reminded of the tree in the front yard where my swing hung. A recent re-visit to the farm revealed the tree to be gone, and I had such a rush of sadness!
ReplyDeleteAnd your comment reminds me of the red oak at my grandparents - now I'm afraid to visit it in case it is gone. I'd feel the same as you, Beverly.
DeleteI hadn't realized that maples couldn't be climbed because they could damage the trees, though it makes a lot of sense now that I think of it. I hope you get a chance to gather all the seeds that you'd like.
ReplyDeleteDad told me they weren't big enough to climb but I was small at the time and thought differently. He also could have been concerned that I'd break my neck.
DeleteThanks for the encouragement to get the seeds, Rommy.
Your poetry made me smile and think of the times where childhood goals were different yet unique.
ReplyDelete