Bamboozled!

As a kid I loved to climb

Nothing was too high

I aspired to reach for the sky

I guess that’s why I climbed!

Up my almond tree!

Up on top of huge boxes!

Up our TV tower too!

There was nothing I couldn’t do!

I climbed up everything I found!

Even the roof of the shed

Wasn’t out of bounds!

I just wanted to climb to reach

Right up as far as I could!

So when at my friend’s

I climbed up the bamboo too!

It was exciting and grand

Just as I planned!

Nothing was too hard to do!

Until I slipped one day

While I was at play

And down I went in a heap …

The pain was quite sharp

As I slid back down to earth

I called out and cried I am sure!
Then as I went running

My dear dad heard me coming

He was there to save me that day!

He tried to look certain

As I winced and looked; hurting!

He was my hero; he’d save me!

He held my little arm still

As he took hold of the end

Gently stroked it until

He could pull it out of my arm

We were both surprised as

It was rather large:

But only ½ inch was protruding

2 ½ inches of hard bamboo

Came out from under my skin and

The doctor cleaned it all out and

Gave me 2 stitches to boot!

My battle scar’s still there

After many a long year

I guess I’ll never forget it!