1.A new child is born like a new day begins. The sun rising, beaming its rays upon the Earth like her smile radiates in our eyes.





















Mother cradling her on secure branches, the child gazes at a familiar face.





Father’s request as paramount as her cry. He is the leaf, jolted by the wind.







5. She floats onto now solid roots. Father sways like a boat in deep seas, calming her like the sweet ring of mother’s voice.



















She is a young bird leaping from the nest, ecstatic to sprout.
She is me.
Where did you go? Mother and Father split like a lightning struck tree;
10. One, two, three, I take my steps. A cry of joy from everyone. Tumbling down like a Jenga game. Like the limbs of the tree topple by hurricane winds.

























I am reaching out but he’s not there to lift me up again.
My mind racing, dreaming of where he is hiding.
Is he behind the tree trunk? Or maybe he’s not close at all.
15. This is a game, and I am losing, wishing for a power-up to give me strength.

Summer, I see him again like I see flowers appear in spring. I have advanced past grade five since we were apart.
Separated so long it feels like he was removed from my memory.
We embrace, exchanging words of longing. I was the tree, stripped of its flowers in the 20.winter. He is the flowers that fill my empty branches once again.
I am fearless, awaiting a surprise as unknown as the future.
Time reveals a ginormous ship, calling for its passengers.
My father and I, hand in hand, board our adventure. Upon return we remain still. Not growing together, not growing apart, like dead roots.
25. Our relationship has no change.
Grade seven. I love him although I haven’t seen his face. Saturdays and Sundays we try to reconnect, but like a barrier, another love requires my time.
Keeping us apart like a great tree stump that stops me in my tracks. He can jump it,
but I am too small.
30. Summer, I finally embrace him again. I’ve missed my father so much. It’s as if I was paralyzed but have regained my limbs.
We connect as often as the clouds pour down their showers on the trees and plants.
Because of this we know each other so well. We love the same hobbies and my personality is his. “You guys look so alike!” they say frequently and how true this is.
35. I may even be transforming into him!
I am him, and he is me.
As I grow from a sapling to a full grown oak, I can see how
he is strongly influencing my life.
When I see my father, my eyes glimmer with joy.
40. As close as can be he protects me on his now secure branches.