Family Tree

Come on kid, leave me alone

Go talk to your dad about the birds and the bees

Go inside, quit rustling my leaves

You’re stressing my limbs, you’re breaking my branches

There’s a female tree next door and you’re ruining my chances

Seriously kid, get down, go away and fly a kite

Wait, bad idea, go inside and play “Rust” all night

I’ve heard you grumble, mumble and complain

I know you want the same

Don’t listen to your Dad

Your friends are all online

And you’ll be fine without the sunshine

Why couldn’t I have been planted next door

The grass is greener, and it’s calmer there for sure

Day after day after day

You’re bothering me kid, please just go away

Finally, quiet at last

Wait, what’s puberty, and where’d it come from so fast

The years were short, the days were long

And my little boy has grown up strong

Now it’s only birds and bees in my leaves

While you’re busy thinking of these

Girls come, and girls go

But then there’s one

And when you know, you know

And one day you took her to the top where the birds sing

You said, “My dear, up here I feel like a King,

And I was wondering, Will you be my Queen?”

But your parents don’t like her the way you do

And then you all started to argue

Then one day something breaks

And the time has come for which I ached

And it’s silent, at last, at last, at last

The noise has settled, and I stare out over a green lawn

I’m content for a bit since you’re gone

Days, weeks, months, years, days

Time it goes, and time it fades

Oh how I miss you so

Why did you leave me, where did you go

Then one day, a knock at your parents’ door

It’s you, the girl and a little person I’ve never seen before

“Um, hi Dad,” I hear your voice carry on the wind

And I’m afraid the fighting will start again

I hear your Dad say, “Well son, you’ve picked a fine day

It’s just the right weather to teach a boy to climb a tree.”

And then I shake all over because you’ve come back to me