I Would Be a Nice Tall Oak

If I were a tree, I would be an oak. A laughing oak with dazzling shiny hair. My leaves would twinkle and spin and prance happily in the summer. I would watch over the squirrels with their chattering ways, and smile. Loving the way they flip upside down and backwards to steal bird seed. Robins, cardinals, wrens and meadow larks would alight on me. Claws so gentle, I would barely feel them, but I would know they were there. I'd not have to be the largest, but it would be nice to be one of the tallest. Lovely to be one of the top three in a forest of oaks, surrounding a meadow. In autumn I would let my leaves turn the happiest reds, oranges and yellows. Always competitive, I would want them to turn before the other trees’ leaves. I'd hold on to them the longest though, so leaf watchers could gaze in awe. Cars would travel far into the country to see my beauty, and take photos. In the winter I would be a tall foreboding soldier. Black brown against nature. The ants, beetles, gnats and spiders would be hidden deep into my knothole. I would shelter them from the elements and stand my ground, a guardian. I would not make a big deal out of it, but I would be like a savior. Along comes spring, my happiest time. I would sing a melody so sweet, It would shame the birds. They would stop tweeting, to listen in awe. It would outshine rainbows and buttercups. I would do this silently, on the sly. When people wake for the day, I would be silent. Meeting their small expectations. It I were a Tree Written 2-3-2021 Contest Sponsor: Mystic Rose Rose