There once was a boy who found a magnificent tree, standing alone in a field of wild flowers and green grasses. He circled its trunk with his hand gently touching its weathered and aging bark. "I will climb you one day." He announced to its branches. "If I could only grow but a few extra inches!"
He returned to the tree nearly every day that summer. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, something that can only be experienced in ones youth. Oh how his imagination took him on fantastic adventures, of pirates and treasures of heroes and villains. Secret missions around the world and rockets to mars.
On the last day of summer he played on well past dinner. From the edge of the field he could hear his dad calling. Dejectedly he sauntered back home with his hands in his pockets, glancing back at his unconquered mountain of branches.
As seasons changed so did the boy. Eventually he became tall enough to scale its branches but would merely stare fondly at the tree in passing. Wanting to fit in and please his friends as they were not interested in some old tree in an otherwise empty lot. Patiently the tree waited with its roots firmly planted deep in the field of his subconscious.
The tree stood alone once more as the hands of time moved forward. Then this boy became a man, leaving his childhood behind in search of success and to make his mark in the world. His boyhood adventures slowly drifting away down the river of memories in his mind.
Years went by like days on a calendar and he found himself with a family of his own. Yet there still remained a longing for his childhood home. So became the first of many summer vacations with his parents in his boyhood home. Who were more than happy to have their grandson echo the walls with the sounds of cherished memories, seemingly only yesterday.
His son slept in his old room and compared his height with markings on the wall. He played with his old toys and had adventures in the yard. The son unknowingly chasing the shadows of his fathers past.
One day his son ran in the house asking to play in a nearby field. "The one with the huge tree in the middle." He announced, as he bounced up and down with excitement. His father smiled and said "I don't see why not. You know, I remember playing there when I was your age. " off he ran as his father grinned and became lost in thought as memories began to rise to the surface like roots in search of water.
His boy ran through the field towards the towering tree. Like father like son he wheeled his imagination of dinosaurs and rocket ships and missions to the stars. Without a care he hopped and twirled and zipped around its trunk.
The light of day began to wane, marking the end of another day. His father walked to the edge of the field about to call him home but hesitated when he noticed his son jumping desperately trying to reach the lowest branches to no avail. As he watched, memories of his former self tugged at him like a child demanding his attention.
So instead he began to walk through the field, all the while holding out his arms allowing the wild grasses to tickle the palms of his hands. The closer he got to the tree the more he felt like the boy he left behind so many years ago.
"Looks like you could use a little help." He said to his son, then proceeded to climb the tree that patiently waited so long for his return. A boyhood giggle escaped from his mouth as he reached down offering his hand like an olive branch to his youth. His son smiled from ear to ear as he was lifted up to grab the nearest limb
As the sun set they sat beside each other within this seemingly wizened old tree both knowing this was a special moment, a moment they would never forget...
This is more of a short story than a poem, so I'm not sure if I should be posting this. Not to mention it's outside my comfort zone