Tree House

TREE HOUSE My Idea A simple Tree house Kids wanted it so I built it, hand-made Stone-base to avoid wet-rot Lower level a stage for kids’ shows Uprights were his football goal-posts Imagined as the gun-deck of a pirate ship Upper level the main deck for crew of pirates Or an airy sleeping-house for nights camping out Final top level for look-out over the sea, two miles away Always adding new features: ladder up, rope fence, trapdoor With hand-saw and hammer, no power tools. Becoming complicated Always unfinished, summerwork only, too busy at the office to finish it It became too elaborate, too complex: tree house to end all tree houses In five years the tree grew bigger: original planks and branches out of alignment Growing kids’ interests and needs fell out of alignment, waiting too long for the house Kids were small when I started the house. When we finished it, it was too late for them. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NOTE Based on an actual tree-house I built for my three kids in the back garden of the house. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Written by Sydney Peck for nette onclaud's Contest "ANYTHING HANDMADE"