Under The Umbrella Tree
Many years ago,
When I was scarcely three,
I loved to frolic and to play
Under this old Umbrella tree.
I never, EVER questioned why,
I always looked forward to seeing it with glee.
I never even wondered how
That Umbrella Tree came to be
In the corner of the living room
Of a dear friend of our family.
Yet, there, in the corner of the living room,
Nestled in between two slipper chairs
Giant, jolly and green it grew,
With branches spread wide in the air.
For many a year I marveled and played
There beneath that blossoming Umbrella Tree.
The owner even moved into a new home,
Yet still found a space for that beautiful tree.
Many years later,
Why just the other day,
I made a startling discovery.
In this, the merry month of May.
You see, I happened upon this old friend,
While visiting another.
But what should turn up in the most unexpected of places
But that Umbrella tree of such wonder.
And who should be found beneath it,
This time it wasn't me,
But a child, a boy of three,
As curious as can be!
The new owner of the tree was amazed,
She saw it out of the corner of her eye.
She thought at first, it must be me,
Playing once again underneath that very same-said tree.
But alas, alas, it could not be
‘Tis been many MANY years
Since I was but a child of three.
Oh no, not me, then who could it be?
None other than my own child, times three…
Playing once again like me,
Under that very same Umbrella tree.
Mimi Rankin Webb
April 24, 2009 as well as other Gannett owned newspapers nationally & within their parenting publications.