Tree-dom

Tree-dom 

 

Kindergarten chimes - One, Two, Three

Climb under our desks away from the windows

away from the tall windows where the oak tree branches did sway

majestic guardian, leafed or bare, strong limbed through each day 

Turn your face from the windows teacher shrilly would say – 

Yet, each time I curled in that

silent space – I lifted head over shoulder

and did turn my face - smiled at my tree smiling back at me.

For, it was all quite ridiculous you see – 

to a five-year-old thinker such as was me -

Metal dog tag pressed under clothes against my chest

I spent a good time with grownup slants of process  

Hiding under a desk as a protection from a conflagration 

that made teachers level voices scatter pitchy and high 

But, good child that I was, I disobediently peeked, checked on my 

tree and stayed silent and curled without even a hint of an exasperated sigh. 

Until after a moment or two,  we were released to climb out from under 

 – once again safe, none here torn asunder

and there outside just as always was and would be

Stood the solid, secure open-arms of my wise and awaiting powerful tree

Winking at the foolishness of adults and their blatant pathetic ill-hidden anxiety .