As a baby, I laid and cried in my crib

Observing the sunlight peering through my window

Branches scratch the side of the house as the breeze flows by

The first summer has just begun

       My Tree Stands by me.

 

When I was a toddler, I ran around my room

Dolls and stuffed animals covered the floor

My room was pink and cheerful

A squirrel builds its nest preparing for the winter

       My tree stands by me.

 

When I was young, my mother crawled into my bed

Monsters were the least of my worries

The spring storm outside shakes the house

       My tree stands by me.

 

In elementary school, I cried into my pillow

Anxiety made me feel trapped in my own head

I felt so alone

Throwing  paper planes out the window 

Praying one day my messages would be answered

       My tree stands by me.

 

During my first year as a teenager, I climbed onto the roof

Dead branches filled the empty spaces where I did not stand

I jumped off and onto the warm driveway 

The bottle of Georgi Vodka rattles in my purse

        My tree stands by me.

 

When I had my first boyfriend, I kissed him gently

As he took off his shirt

I listened for my parents to come home

Before I understood what love meant

The blinds are wide open

        My tree stands by me.

 

In the beginning of high school, I lit a joint

My friends laughed 

As I coughed out smoke through a crack in my window

I laid on the floor and let the haze take over

Buds begin to form at the end of each branch

       My tree stands by me.

 

As I got older, the crickets chirped at night

I slipped through my door 

As the sun was starting to rise

My ears still rang as I stayed awake

The leaves are changing colors

I finally close my eyes

       My tree stands by me.

 

During my senior year of high school, I looked up at the tree that stood outside my window

He held me in his arms against the rough bark

We cried together

Now understanding what Love really meant

The last summer is on its way

     My tree stands by me.

 

Now, I have graduated and will be leaving my tree

It's branches have grown in many directions

But it continues to rise upwards toward the sky

Only a few special things in life stand by us as we grow each day

       If only trees could speak...