An early July morning trip to the park
To glide down the big slide and go swoosh on the swing
Bubbling over with joy from the littlest things
Racing over the dewy grass to explore
We gather at the base of the great green tree
My toddler’s wonder sparks a wish to see as he sees
I stop for a moment, and drop to the ground
At this new level, things have changed
My eyes see anew, the world rearranged
We examine the bark: the colour, the texture:
They have stories to tell, these weathered layers of grey
I’m really seeing, so I want to stay
Like a fairy garden, soft moss grows
And deep in a crease, a single black ant
Here, more exquisite than any Rembrandt
Round the trunk, and blue spray paint appears
Driven into the wood, some rusty old nails
The tree has scars, yet it stands tall and prevails
And there’s lichen! Orange and yellow
The most intricate web, a spider has spun
With a tiny insect caught, her work is done
So thank you son, for showing me that
What I thought was just a great green tree
Is a gift to marvel at each new discovery
