First Memories & Lemon Trees

sitting under the lemon tree
with you, invoke memories

after I was born I stood
extra 3 weeks in the hospital

feeling empty and cold
seeing strangers in white
smelling the sour disinfectant

when it was time, I went home
to my sister and a room we shared

the people were familiar and caring
the house was warm and full
the backyard was vast and wondrous
with a single huge lemon tree
set off to the left corner

one of my first memories
is climbing up a lemon tree

I had to be around 3,
it’s strange to access such an old
yet young memory as this
mental time travel

I remember climbing up the tree
and this lemon tree had these great
big thorn and I was making my way up
zigzagging my way thru the maze
of sharp lemon scented needles

I got to a high point,
overlooking the neighborhood
having visions of the land before time
the age of the dinosaurs

the landscape was vivid and
ancient, scent of something eternal

and then I heard my sister,
making my way down,
I felt this wetness

this drip of something unknown
making its way down my forehead

my sister is screaming
the baby is bleeding,
the baby is bleeding

I can’t understand the words,
I just felt the concern

checking this wet drip of liquid
on my forehead, walked inside

when it touched my finger,
I pulled it to my eye,
it was dark red (of blood)
and I was puzzled
because there was no pain

my mom ran to me
to wipe off the blood from
my forehead, told my sister,
you need to watch out
for your brother

I stand there confused
with a lemon popsicle
wondering what all the fuss
was about