weeping willow

I always wondered why willows weep.

That year I unserstood why.

"Willow", he called to me, as I stood in the April showers,
The water soaking my face.
I was a stubborn child, seeping into the arts of rebellion
they named me after our tree.
It was the reason my mother wanted the house.
I planted flowers in our garden that spring.
It seemed dead and dreary before,
like that god forsaken house.
I find myself missing it a time or two now.
setting on the wrap around porch, smelling the flowers bloom.

the willow tree grew extra big that year.
it's big weeping leaves laying against the house.
That summer I spent the days, setting against it,
flipping through pages of the Canterbury tales.
Giggling out loud.
I remember the way the sun shown through the willow.
twilight hit the pages, as the heat beat against my arms.
I spent my time alone all summer
while my father entertained his new lady friend.
It had been just me and him since my mother died.
I can still feel the way the sun kissed my face,
as I walked the fence line, picking flowers for him.

I miss the times when I sat in my window,
and watched the leaves fall from the old willow tree.
counting the seconds it took for them to hit the ground.
the cold air tickled my lungs,
as I shuffled through the crackling leaves.
My goal that fall was to be a witch for Halloween.
I found entertainment in scaring others.
Jumping out at the neighbors,
hiding fake spiders in jars for the new stepmother to find.

and as the last leaf fell from the willow,
so did the first snow fall.
our yard was blanketed in white.
I was so eager to sleigh down the big hill.
my father brought home a tree he cut down himself,
I remember how horrible it looked
after I was finished stringing the lights.
Christmas morning I tiptoed down the stairs
before anyone was awake, and peeked in the presents.

my father grew ill with the new year.
and it didn't take long for him to pass.
I remember crying at his funeral.
watching the snow melt.
squeezing the flowers in my hands.
as they buried him beside my mother,
underneath the weeping willow.




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