The Pinecone Oak Poem by R. G. Bell

tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap

Pardon me, young man. I can see you're busy.
Please, sit by me on the porch awhile.
Right here's a rocker waiting for you.
I hate to interrupt a busy man,
But I have a head-scratcher, and I'm sure
You'll know the answer, or your gizmo will.
I hear it taps into all known Knowledge.

tap-tap-tap-tap-tap ** shoot dude ** tap-tap-tap

Well, I was just admiring this oak tree again
And noticed something very strange, high up.
A little higher. There. You see them now?

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap ** wat ** tap-tap-tap-tap

There. Ever see that before? Three pine cones
Growing in a red oak tree. Strange, you think?

tap-tap-tap-tap ** wat bout it dude ** tap-tap

Well, oak trees just don't do that as a rule.

tap-tap-tap-tap ** dis 1 duz dude ** tap-tap-tap

You really think so? It just doesn't look right.

tap-tap-tap ** sum 1 thru it dar ** tap-tap

Pretty nice throw if you ask me. When I
Was your age I could have thrown a ball that high
And lost it stuck in a big oak tree.
But a pine branch and clinging cones?
That wouldn't throw too well. Please, let's try again.

tap-tap ** ez blu off a pin tre ** tap

Now we're getting somewhere. A stiff wind you think?
A really stiff wind, right? The nearest pine
Must be a couple hundred yards from here.
Hugo could have thrown it there. You know Hugo?

tap-tap-tap-tap-tap **? ** tap-tap-tap-tap.

Hurricane. Big one. Way before your time.

tap-tap-tap-tap-tap ** (shrug) ** tap-tap-tap-tap.

No, I'm sure they haven't hung there quite that long.
I would have noticed. Shall we try again?

** god gros pin konz whr he wanz dude ** tap-tap

Now there's a bold idea! Let's go with that.
So one day, a few years ago, God woke-up
Thinking He'd like to see a red oak tree
Start sprouting pine cones, in groups of three.
Another little joke, I guess, on me.
Could have I suppose, if anyone could.
Still, I doubt it. I do not doubt His arm
But I'm pretty sure that's out of character.

bored-bored-bored ** so u tel me dude ** bored-bored

I think I better. There WAS a pine tree there.
Right there. Give your thumbs a break and dig a bit.
You'll find the stump right there, beneath the mulch.
A tall pine tree's a dangerous thing. Blows over
On your house if you let it stand too close.
The pine was tangled in the oak, you see.
We took it down three years ago this week.
That branch got stuck behind, or maybe stayed.

** dude so yd u waste m tim w dum ol tak **

Tapping a little past can keep you safe
From tapping some mighty bad ideas.

** daz it dude ** daz al dar is **

Yes, I fear that might be all there is.