The Summer of ‘98-A Short Story

I remember the summer of ‘98 like it was yesterday. The sun was a relentless tyrant, and the air was thick with the smell of cut grass and dusty sneakers. The neighborhood kids, a motley crew of preteens with scraped knees and boundless energy, spent every waking hour playing street soccer in front of old Mr. Atley’s house. He hated us, and we loved the thrill of annoying him. He was the grumpy Goliath, and we were the plucky Davids, a soccer ball our only sling. The best player on the street was Kevin. He was a year older than the rest of us, with a mop of sandy hair and a cocky grin. He was faster, more agile, and had a way of dribbling the ball that made it seem like an extension of his own foot. He knew it, too, and his constant showboating drove me crazy. I was a decent player, but Kevin always found a way to make me look like a clumsy oaf, stealing the ball from me with a quick flick of his ankle or nutmegging me with a cheeky grin. One day, our game intensified. It was just Kevi...

Trees

   

Trees so tall

Colorful their leaves

Branches so crooked

Thorny some are 

Smooth is rare


Winds they break

Shade they offer

Their breeze we like

Some scents are great

Odors may reek


Tables they make

Chairs to sit

Boats to sail

Fires they light

Warmth they supply 

Numerous uses abound


Gaseous balance they keep

Oxygen we breathe

Carbon dioxide they extract 

As itself it feeds


What will it be 

A land without trees

Scarcity of food

Animals pass on

And man along


Seed more trees 

Implore thee now

One per house

Reasonable a start

A forest in making

Humanity liberate







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