Lost and Found

There once was a branch
So full of splendour
He was born into a supple family
So small and tender

As spring passed
He wondered what lay beyond
So he stretched himself
And found a beautiful pond

Now he had not seen a pond before
And mistook it for the blue skies
So he twisted himself upside down
Only to be surrounded by laughters and cries

Shocked by the sounds
He sprung back to position
And wondered where from it came
As he eyed the clearing with suspicion

As the summer breeze rustled
He saw the various faces
Of twigs and boughs and sprigs
Scattered all across the pond’s laces

Now he had not seen a holly before
For they were not so easily found
But that day he saw one
Whistling the sweetest sound

Oh how he loved that song
Waking and sleeping to it every day
Oh how he longed to be near her
To sing along and dance and sway

As autumn came
He became stronger and taller
The leaves started to turn brown
And the tune drew ever nearer

Now he had not seen autumn before
So he did not know what came after
If only he had the slightest inkling
He would have grown much faster

Though dead leaves littered the ground
The footsteps were muffled with the snow
A single clean swipe
There was no resistance to the blow

As the harsh winter railed upon them
He could not hear the sweet melody any more
He called out to her night after night
Until he had dried his throat hoarse

Now he had not seen smoke before
And he cursed the darkness that made him blind
For little did he know
That to the fires he will lose his mind

A new dawn broke upon his eyes
Infront of him the charred ashes lay
From the pile he was picked up
And all he could do was pray

As they trudged along
He wondered what lay ahead
Soon he heard a buzz
And now he was filled with dread

He screamed in pain and agony
Yet all fell on deaf ears
For he was not himself anymore
Except a dry stick of tears.

Taken into the warm house
He was given an oil bath
Wiped clean and dry
He was ready to light a path.

Now he was just a branch afterall
Who had been given a new life
For even the greatest steel
Sometimes needs the sharpest knife.

So as he swung in the air
A wondrous melody filled the room
He gave himself to song and dance
Where a moment ago it was all doom and gloom.

As the volume began to rise
The branch wondered where the holly was
Yet he could not stop for a moment
Until he got the applause.

Laid on the table all sweaty and tired
He slowly closed his eyes and slept tight
Little did he know that there she was
Watching him from atop the Christmas light.