The Tree

By Hannah Lambing

It’s raining.
I walk outside.
The rain pounds on my shoulders,
Massaging my back through my thin short sleeve shirt.

I sit down on the brick steps,
My shorts absorb the dew on the cool stairs.

I look out in front of me,
The tree at the head of the lawn staring back.

We silently communicate.

The tree introduces himself to me.
His name is Mr. Brown.

We chat for a while about the weather,
Commenting on the patterns of the clouds, the absence of the sun, and the rain.

Mr. Brown likes the rain.
He says it makes him feel energized.

The rain starts to lighten up and the sun shows its presence.

It is lunchtime now.
I could tell because the sun is directly about me,
Warming my damp clothes.

I hear my name being called from the front of the house for lunch.
I say my farewells to Mr. Brown and he says
“Bye for now.”