Have you ever watched a squirrel glide thru trees?

They do it so gracefully and with so very much ease

Scurrying along branches so thin and frail-looking

You or I could break off with two fingers hooking



Between knuckles - they are that fragile and delicate

And yet - support the entire body of squirrel's weight 

Bending now and then - dipping towards the ground

But never ever snapping - as branches are that sound



Providing ample support for our bushy-tailed friends

Who sometimes slip, but recover, and always depend

On the trees and even telegraph cables to get around

Along with electricity wires and television cables bound



All together from one pole to to the next in messy maze

Reminding one of bars which hem us in in so many ways

For just as squirrels depend on trees and wires to survive

We also depend on those same things in order to thrive



- Tristram



(c) Christopher W. Thomas

7:40am Saturday, April 4th, 1998