TREES

TREES


WHEN I GROW TO OLD TO LIVE
I'D LIKE TO BE A TREE
WHERE LOVERS SIT UNDER
TALKING ABOUT THEIR FUTURE
AND PERHAPS CARVE NAMES
I WONDER IF IT WILL TICKLE OR HURT

I WOULD BE A REMINDER OF LIFE
FROM SPRING'S EARLY GREENING
TO MATURE SHADE
TO THE END TIME COLOR
AND FINALLY
THE SKELETON
SHOWING ROOTS GRIPPING DEEP INTO THE EARTH
AND ARMS STRETCHING UP TO GOD

I WOULD BE A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN PLAY
MY BRANCHES WOULD BE LOW FOR CLIMBING
IMPORTANT
THAT BRANCHES BE LOW ENOUGH FOR CLIMBING
WHERE YOUNG ONES GO TO DREAM OF BEING OLDER
AND OLD ONES GO TO DREAM OF BEING YOUNGER
OR MAYBE NOT
CONTENT WITH WHERE THEY ARE

SO MANY STORIES TO TELL
BE QUIET AMONG THE TREES AT NIGHT
AND YOU CAN HEAR THEM RUSTLING OUT THEIR STORIES
OR IN THE MOONLIGHT NIGHTS OF WINTER
YOU CAN SEE THEM
TALKING IN SIGNS TO EACH OTHER

YES I'D LIKE TO BE A TREE
BUT PLANT ME NEAR A SCHOOL
AND WHEN THEY COME TO SIT IN ME
WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF STORIES TO SHARE

frank a. vollmer