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 .
