Hiding Amongst the Branches

Wandering,
unseen in the darkness.
Leaving the pain of the day
wadded up under blankets.

Propelled by dreams
filled with futility
into the safety of night.

Eyes closed,
the rough texture of bark
grasped between elbows and knees,
I slept.

With each breath,
the worries drift from my mind
like leaves from the branches.

Free from thought,
cradled by a branch,
I escape the dreams
for a few short hours.

The tug on my ankle
brings me back to another day,
made brighter by the kiss of the tree
imprinted on my cheek.

I climb down into my parent's arms,
filled with hope and happiness.
Yet this fades with the sun,
and night returns me to my tree.

Hidden amongst the branches,
I escape the fear
that blankets me each night.