The old Kersen tree

Here, on the cracked, uneven floor of my front porch

I could still recall the shadows formed by our old Kersen tree

It used to have one big trunk growing inward to the side of my house

One where my little legs could climb to pick the fruits up

There were many things to smile about back then

The mornings, our time, our lives

It didn't take long before they cut down the tree

As we were afraid the heavy rains would break it apart

But until now the shadows are still there

Asymmetric like those cast on the forest floor

Only now they're formed by hanging plants inside plastic-made planters

I still think about the Kersen tree

And of my dad who he would watch me climb down safely from it

It has been years

But we are still afraid of the heavy rains