What The Tree Had In It

WHAT THE TREE HAD IN IT

I stood at the side of the road
trying very hard not to explode
Cars stopped as men
saw me point now and then
towards the trees where the bright sun glowed.

"Look, oh look," I quickly implored them
as I turned to my traveling friend.
"As sure as I'm me,
there's a bear in the tree
where the leaves and the deep shadows blend."

"Oh yes, it's perfectly clear!"
were the shouts rising up from the rear.
Before I could blink,
in just a short wink
hundreds of folks had appeared.

Cameras were found and brought out
with zoom lens and tripods about
while crowds gathered to see
a bear big as me
or at least catch a glimpse of him tout.

As I gazed in my glee at its plight,
to keep the small bear in my sight,
I noted the plough
of wind in the bough,
but something was clearly not right.

The bear never stirred and clung like a pea
to the crutch of the leaf-laden tree,
and as I gazed harder
I said to my partner,
"That bear's just a hunk of debris!"

Sheepishly shrugging I backed towards the Chevy,
imagining a mob after me.
Said one to another,
"Look around for its mother!
It's a baby brown bear in the tree!"

I couldn't believe it, not one had a hunch
that the bear was no more than a clump.
So I laughed myself silly
as we drove willy-nilly
away from that bunch of blind chumps!