I am This Tree

Poem

Photograph by the author

My life is all sky,
Built to last for a long time,

Even after that one New Year’s Eve party.
Where my branches caught a firework
And I was lit on fire.

You can see the scars
But I am still standing, I am fine.

I am visited by rain,
I hear the laughter of children,
I see the flowers in the garden
From the house next door,
I am green.
My life is all mine.

Author’s Notes

This photograph is of a tree from the house across from ours in my hometown. I took it on my way to the mall, I just thought how beautiful the sky behind it was in all its length.

The fire happened in 2016. Immediately after the countdown into the New Year, someone in the crowd of cheers threw a firework at it and it went ablaze. The fire was spectacular that night (because I was kind of drunk). However, in my right mind, whoever it was should not have done that to this tree that year.