A Kindergartner’s Concise History of the United States

By

(for Al Maginnes)

When they got here the fields
weren’t fields. Not even green
or big flat. They had to grow
all the trees inside themselves.
The one brown road led down
to the river. George Washington
was the first one born. He rode
his horse until they made him
president. It’s hard to remember
the names of any presidents
who came after. The trees
they made climb tall here
and live as woods. One tree
can’t be the woods alone.
When it snows or doesn’t
and all the winter cold comes
we take a piece, we take it
inside and watch it burn.