Just a Tree...

Not too old, but grizzled

Not too young, but etched

It still stands where it has

Stood since memory began

Roots are growing deeper,

But why?

Branches spreading wide,

But why?

Leaves sprout green and shiny,

But why?

There are blossoms and fruit too.

But why?

Why, it's a tree.

It can't be any different.

It can't not take root,

Nor can it not branch or leaf 

Or blossom or fruit.

It is 

Leaned on,

Climbed on,

Marked on,

Rested on,

Perched on,

Nested on,

Eaten on,

Lived on,

Swung on,

Lied down under,

Blown over,

Sunned upon,

Rained upon,

Grown upon,

Burrowed into,

Broken from,

Taken from,

Jumped off from,

Flown away from.

It loves all.

Possesses none.

It's sometimes sad,

Melancholic even.

But Why?

It's a tree.

Just a tree.

Firefly

How often do you see,

A firefly by the day?

I wonder because, I

Happened to see one today.

They are beautiful by the night,

Glowing yellow green pinpricks

Of temperamental sort of light.

Now why does a fly need the fire?

'Well of course, it's dark in the night!'

Then why don't other critters require?

'Duh..the fireflies have it for all, all right?!'

Some say it's their way to say 'Hi!'

Others differ with their scientific ho ho,

Say, 'Oh no sir! That's not why!'

Just forget the 'why' and come back 

To the original question,

Is the firefly out in the day, often?

Let's ask around, in fact, take a survey,

But no one can be sure, can they?

I think then, I'll make up my own story-

So, he doesn't fly the day, but he was 

Today, out of sheer worry!

He and his miss had a lovely night,

In the trees near the water's edge,

And of course, by the firelight!

They talked and laughed until almost

The stars went off and the sun was out,

A freak breeze blew and Alas! The miss was lost!

He looked through the tree and its hollow,

All along the water's edge, the meadow,

And decided on the highway to follow.

It was 9 AM and I was at the toll gate,

And he came in with my hand and the spare change,

What's that glow? Oh! Hi there mate!

He told me his story and I called in sick at work,

We rode along the highway looking and then turned back.

I dropped him at his tree and sad, he alighted on its fork.

A glowing yellow green pinprick of temperamental sort of light,

And before I made the next bend, I saw in my rear view, 

Right there in the tree, there were two of them all right!