I Wanted a Pet

I Wanted a Pet

by Kyle Prince, age 10

Kyle, age 5, in a tree

I told my parents
I wanted a pet
But they said
I wasn’t ready for one yet
I told my father
I wanted a fish.
“We’ll cook it for dinner
And you’ll get thinner
And I won’t make you
eat its finner.”
If my father wanted
something to eat
Then I decided
I would grow a tree.
I’ve got the soil
I’ve got the water
I’ve got myself
A fish-eating father
Now I’m ready
to sit and wait
For next year’s
October 8…
…Woohoo! The day is finally here
I just woke up and hollered and cheered
I put on my clothes and I’m ready to see
If all that hard work grew a tree.
I rushed down the stairs
Ran through the halls
Swang through the railways
Crashed into walls
Here I am,
Looking at ground
I don’t see a tree, a leaf, or a sprout.
What did I do?
Where is the tree?
Seeing the nothingness
just drained my glee.
I watered it lots,
I dug up the weeds,
Wait —
I took a shovel. I dug up the ground.
Right in the spot where the seeds lounged.
I don’t see any roots. I don’t see any seeds.
Oh,

I forgot the tree.