Graham's Up The Tree
Written by Michael Pardy Illustrated by Junkyard Sam
Close one eye.
Look along my pointing arm, out past my finger tip.
See Graham there, can see you see his feet? His dangling knobbly knees?
With leaves for hair, he's made himself a crown. He's sitting on the throne looking down.
A door bangs.
Boots clomp.
It's his yelling dad, yelling, "Graham get down."
" Graham, you get down here!"
"Graham, get yourself down here now!"
The briquettes fly and arch like shiny black sparrows.
The first hits close, the second too!
But after three they start to drop.
His old man knows the war is lost.
Gives up, stomps off.
See him?
See him?
See him clear now! The branch is moving with his jig of victory!
Graham's up the tree!
Graham's up the tree... Where no adult can go.
He's standing in the sky, standing up for us below.
