Betula albosinensis

He lead me through the wild
Single file as I dodged the nettles
With my sandalled feet.
A clearing in the density
Hosted red ribbon wrapped round bark.
Reminisced his childhood
Of broken bones. Childhood sweethearts
Playing army soldier on his lonesome
Grew tiresome. His brother never did join in.
Of course it looks so different now.
The council chopped away most trees
Like a bowl cut on some unfortunate kid.
'There was a tree house here...my friends and I would sit and play'
'What happened to your friends?'
'We don't speak now...they're all weirdos'
'But...you're a weirdo'

'...Thanks Alice.'