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| == Text of the poem == | | == Text of the poem == |
| + | My grandmother was a genius. You’d like to know why? |
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| + | Because she could climb trees. Spreading or high, |
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| + | She’d be up their branches in a trice, and mind you |
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| + | When last she climbed a tree she was sixty-two. Ever since childhood, she’d had this gift |
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| + | For being happier in a tree than in a lift; |
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| + | And though, as years went by, she would be told |
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| + | That climbing trees should stop when one grew old |
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| + | And that growing old should be gone about gracefully |
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| + | She’d laugh and say, ''‘Well I’ll grow disgracefully,'' |
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| + | ''I can do it better’.'' And we had to agree; |
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| + | For in all the garden there wasn’t a tree |
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| + | She hadn’t been up, at one time or another |
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| + | [Having learned to climb from a loving brother |
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| + | When she was six] but it was feared by all |
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| + | That one day she’d have a terrible fall. |
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| + | The outcome was different-while we were in town |
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| + | She climbed a tree and couldn’t come down. |
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| + | After the rescue, |
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| + | The doctor took Granny’s temperature and said, |
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| + | ''‘I strongly recommend a quiet week in bed’.'' |
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| + | We sighed with relief and tucked her up well. |
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| + | Poor Granny! For her, it was like a brief season in hell. |
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| + | Confined to her bedroom, while every breeze |
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| + | Whispered of summer and dancing leaves. |
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| + | But she had held her peace till she felt stronger. |
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| + | Then she sat up and said, ''‘I’ll lie here no longer!’'' |
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| + | And she called for my father and told him undaunted |
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| + | That a house in a treetop was what she now wanted. |
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| + | My dad knew his duties. He said, ''That’s all right'' |
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| + | ''You’ll have what you want, dear. I’ll start work tonight.’'' |
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| + | With my expert assistance, he soon finished the chore: |
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| + | Made her a tree - house with windows and a door. |
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| + | So granny moved up, and now every day |
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| + | I climb to her room with glasses and tray. |
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| + | She sits there in state and drinks sherry with me. |
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| + | Upholding her right to reside in a tree.' |
| == Idea of the poem == | | == Idea of the poem == |
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