The Maple Tree

By Michal Reiben

On this gay
 Summer’s day
 Sweetie is irresistibly
 Gapping at a green Maple tree
 It’s shedding helicopter seeds
 That twirl and swirl down onto weeds

 Winter has a cold bite
 And winds blow with great might
 But Sweetie watches with delight
 As snowflakes paint the branches white
 Trudging to the tree wearing coat and boots
 He sees broken down leaves nourishing roots

 On this lovely day in spring
 Sweetie listens to birds sing
 The Maple tree is like a bower
 With tasseled greenie yellow flowers
 A breeze lifts some leaves into the air
 Lays bare a new tree snuggling there

 Flapping his hands repeatedly
 His excitement is plain to see
 Sweetie has autism, with no voice,
 But he has the aptness to rejoice
 His response to the sprouting tree
 Pulls at my heartstrings tenderly