l do and wonder if others do, l am 43 years old.

Dont know so much now, but.

The Three Trees.

(Between the ages of six & twelve,
if we each into our memories delve,
and wonder why we recall so clear,
while the focus seems blurred on our most recent year.

Is it easier to remember the formative years,
where youth & naivety, threw cloaks o’er our fears,
than pick through the remnants of yesterdays mail,
never setting new targets, in dread u might fail?

Whatever the reason, the truth is just this.
I’ve no way of foretelling, when I’ll reminisce.
The triggers r many, the time spans r grey,
Though ur senses could fool you. Did it happen today?)

If I’m quiet, & rested, l can fly back with ease.
To the first time we dared to climb the “Three Trees.”

Down in the hidden valley,
beyond the secret lake.
Through nettles, midgies & sticky-buds,
the path we had to take.

We felt we were a Thousand miles,
from our grubby Council Estate,
in a foreign land, with exotic smells,
where u trusted ur life to ur mate.

At the far side of the crater,
where the slope came to it’s peak.
We beheld the dare, of which we’d been warned.
One which made the older boys weak.

Three twisted, gargantuan, ominous trunks,
Standing side, by side, by side.
The dare? Up the first, cross the tops, down the third.
Though legions had tried, failed & cried.

As none of our gang, had been here before,
our plan of attack came, from schoolyard folklore.
As the only known victor, was “Big Malky White,”
who left word, “You Must Start From, The Tree On the Right!”






A minimum of two, were required for the test.
While two stayed on the ground, where they hoped for the best.
Bursting forth false Bravado, supporting through jest.
Though the outcome before them, they’d never have guessed.

At the foot of the First Tree, l vividly recall,
We couldn’t reach the lowest branch. In shorts, we were too small!
So l climbed up on his shoulders, & he raised me to the limb.
Once there, l found a secure hold. Then l reached down for him.

From there we climbed with relative ease,
for around 20 feet or so,
where we saw our best chance to traverse the trees.
Where their branches criss-crossed, to & fro.

We gathered our nerve, as we looked o’er the gap,
we then shared what might be our last Chewitt.
Then we laughed, looking down,
as our friends on the ground,
shouted up, “Come back down. You can’t do it!”

The branch we walked out on, was from the first tree.
While our hands grabbed support from the second.
As l passed the half-way point, l felt the branch sag.
l knew then, Fame or Infamy beckoned.

l sent my mate back, so the sagging decreased.
Then a few more steps nearer, l inched.
Raised my feet in the air, swung by hand here & there.
(If my Mum ever knew, I’d get lynched!)

The second to third tree, seemed easy to cross.
As if somehow I’d mastered the knack.
Thinking back, l thank God. I’d have been at a loss.
For l know l could not have gone back.

When my heroics were told in the playground,
The elder boys mocked me, & laughed.
For “Big Malky White” never existed.
And all they, unlike me, were not daft!

Thirty years later, l ventured back.
Were they really as big as l thought?
The valley was a car park, the crater filled in,
And where the trees stood, there was nought.

But a few broken bones were made, copying me.
Valiant efforts to ape Chimpanzees.
If I’m quiet, & rested, l can fly back with ease.
To the first time we dared to climb the “Three Trees.”

Danny Reynolds (c)

Yes and l am 25.

Yes, but l am 12

Well l can not climb them anymore, l am 48 and have arthritis. When l was young l used to climb up in the Crepe Myrtle trees in front of our house and sit up there and watch people. Also, l had a girlfriend in my 20 is that lived in a tree house which was really kewl and l used to climb up there, they had a Jacobs ladder and a rope and that was neat, until it stormed, then it really was not too neat anymore.

yes

nah they feel too exposed for my liking, no protection, l always worry that l wo not be able to get back down again! although the first few branches are pretty fun.