The flowers were around me

Like pink tissue paper

Guarding a presant

From eager eyes.

But this presant wasn't nail polish,

Lip gloss or barbie dolls,

It wasn't mudpies,

Or beebee guns for guys.

These flowers guarded the bark

Of the summer tree.

Her leaves were crisp and green,

And tiny ants marched up her scene,

Spiders spun their silver webs,

And lady bugs began their lady dance.

Her roots were strong,

In our friend's front yard.

It was the best summer tree,

Just the right size,

The right life,

The right bird's song.

And we sat amongst her boughs 

With the ants and the spiderwebs

And talked about our favorite video games.

Our favorite video games.

I've never even liked video games.

I only played them because everyone else did.

Well, many summers have passed,

Many winters too.

And now it is spring,

And this bare lady stands thick and thin,

Her arms branching over her skeletal frame.

And the new family that lives their now,

Well, the child was up in her naked boughs.

He's never seen the flowers I've known.

But I'm glad they'll reopen in their magnificent show.

And he can think about the latest trends,

About the things he'd like to see under pink tissue paper,

The things he'd like but doesn't want.

I'm too big for those branches,

But my memories are not.

He's the right size for her grasp,

For the lesson she taught me.

Her arms are open and they are naked,

They are closed off to me, alike my friend,

But they have not forsaken me