Climbing Trees

Brother fell out of the plum tree
from ten feet up and landed
flat on his front like a belly
flop at the swimming pool.
Sister and I said he wasn’t hurt
because he took so long to cry.
Mother was preparing for the family
Christmas dinner in two days time,
said he looked all right to her.
He recovered in time for dinner.

Sister fell out of the Pohutukawa tree
from eight feet up off the arching
branch over the driveway
right in front of Uncle Alf’s car
as he started down the drive. Father
said she should watch what she
was doing as he brought cold
beer for the shattered nerves
of Auntie Flo and Uncle Alf.
She recovered in time for dinner.

The young black cat fell out of
the peach tree from nine feet up.
He howled loudly then grabbed
at a branch with all four feet
on his way down. He wasn’t stupid.
People who fall out of trees
get into trouble. He didn’t.

I didn’t fall out of a tree. I was
scared of heights and never went
up to the high bendy branches.
People who fall out of trees
get into trouble. Still they do
get dinner at the end of the day.


Previously posted April 2016.