Parachutist

Once upon a time but not right now or ever A parachutist climbed the short oak tree On private property not yours or mine The sign read, “Trespassers will be shot on sight” (sight unseen) Our flying man used fingers on both hands to climb 8 of them plus 2 thumbs as I'm reminded of the crime All hands are innocent until proven guilty Tree/land violators will be considered flying legal If found rising to the sky with parachutes behind them At the top he stopped, having nowhere else to go Using skills but not his knowledge for jumping off Like superman on hypnotic kryptonic drugs That could lead to harder drugs Or landing like a block of lead in mud His hands stretched out pretending to be wings The chute forgot to open or to chirp or work Because chutes are not birds and they don't chirp Rip cords don't pull themselves Parachutes don't deploy from tops of trees We hear someone yelling “Geronimo!” While leaping between the leaves and forest It was not a question of technology for the man Perhaps the tree or ground got in the way of progress Distances can cause misunderstandings about the land Sound judgment and adjustments are required Part of the calculus of jumping from above He ended up where he had come from Face down in the mud where he belongs Not jail where you might suppose for trespassing