A Backyard Friend Poem by Lenny Camacho

A guava tree, furnished gently by the sun,
in summertime this tree had become my fun,
my home, my hideaway, my brother, my all:
The rippen fruit gave me strength, gave me love.

hanging on a branch, resting from the sun,
with my eyes closed imagined worlds to come;
feeling windy whispers, saw this tree grow in me,
and grow out of me, from my eyes and my skin.

he had been my brother through the years,
gave me cover; saved my lucid dreams...
oh! My friend, my love, my shade and teacher,
I tried to bring your message, be your speaker,
people didn't care, didn't ever listen.

time passed... you and I became adults in life,
but my heart and memories try to keep you alive;
there's an image that can't be erased or altered;
my guava tree, my life somehow you guided.

from your branches I knew a kind of world,
the kind that is not easily forgotten;
I saw from up there people are actually small,
but act as if they were bigger than this planet.

up there, dreaming in your arms by day,
ideas, never known to a child before,
were planted, dramatically in a tender soul;
and you made strong what used to be frail.

I thank you for that my tree brother friend,
and thank you because you were always there;
you showed me a way hard to find myself,
now, many things, if not all I understand.

I´m glad I knew you from the start of my life,
I´m glad I spent my time hanging from a branch;
eating fresh fruit rather that watching TV,
for all those reasons I have to thank thee.