By Matt Purdy
"Mom, I’m going to go live in a tree," said Billy McGhee
His mom said, "don’t be silly, people can’t live in a
tree."
He said, "I’m not people, I’m Billy McGhee."
And out the door went he, Billy McGhee.
Out the door to find his tree.
He climbed one or two, and then climbed some more.
He climbed eighteen, he climbed sixty-four.
Every tree in the neighborhood, every tree in town;
He climbed right up and then climbed right down.
He climbed and climbed with all his might.
Some trees were good, but none was just right.
This made him sad, but still he climbed more
His tree was somewhere, it was somewhere for sure.
Across the county and across the state
He climbed and climbed from early ‘till late.
Poplars and pines, maples and oaks
He went lots of places and met lots of folks.
His hands grew tough and his arms grew strong,
His balance grew keen and his hair grew long.
He climbed and climbed, perhaps more than he ought
His tree was somewhere, it was somewhere he thought.
Some trees were sticky and some trees were smelly
Some trees were nice and gave him fruit for his belly.
This tree had leaves, that one had needles
This one had caterpillars, that one had beetles.
Some trees were fun, and some were a dud
Some held him high, some dropped him down with a thud.
Trunk to trunk and limb to limb
Most trees were fine, just not for him.
He climbed and climbed, maybe he was crazy.
His tree was somewhere, somewhere just maybe.
When he got to the desert, he gave cactus a try.
Then he climbed a palm tree and made coconut pie.
After that was the ocean and he knew he was done.
He got on a bus and rode home towards the sun.
Past all the trees, past all the people he’d met,
He remembered all the climbing, the hope and the sweat.
He stared out the window, it didn’t seem fair
Wasn’t his tree somewhere, somewhere out there?
His mom welcomed him home and said he’d tried his best,
But he’d have to live in the house just like all the
rest.
She said she was sorry and Billy listened for a while,
Then he shook his head and said with a smile,
"I’ll live in the ocean, or on a balloon in the air;
I can live however I choose, wherever I care…
Because I’m Billy McGhee and my tree isn’t there."