Us

                                                                                             On a hickory perched three tiny birds
                                                                                                    of faded yellow hue
                                                                                              Chirped one, "I want to see the world!"
                                                                                                    unto the other two.
                                                                                              Said the next, "I want to take the moon
                                                                                                    and pluck it from the sky."
                                                                                              Sang she, "I want to catch my dream
                                                                                                    while I'm young enough to try."
                                                                                              And then they turned to the silent third
                                                                                                     and thus replied he;
                                                                                              "I needn't race to find my place,
                                                                                                     for it's on this hickory tree."

The first took flight, on out of sight,
     and then that one was two.
Til only one small bird was left
     of faded yellow hue.
And one, she flew from pine to oak
     the world upon her wings.
And one found love in a gentle dove
     and with him nests and sings.

Like the turning of a wheel
     the time went slipping by
Until our tiny tree-bound friend
     saw petals on the sky.
The petals grew to flowers
     and the flowers into friends
The faces of his dear ones
     whose love could never end.
                                                  They landed there beside him
                                                       and one again was three
                                                  Sang they, "We ran the race to find our place,
                                                      and it's on this hickory tree."
                                                                                                   ~Jossalyn Gale Thiel