Little Botanist

The little boy and I were out for a walk.

He saw a neighbor’s front-yard tree

and said, Palo verde.

My heart soared with happiness.

He came across a large patch

and shouted, Clover!

He saw succulents and said, “latex.”

The other day, while we were walking,

I asked him about a tree in the median.

Quickly he said, Oak.

Then I showed him another shrub

with red fruit clusters,

and he promptly said, Toyon.”

Another day,

I showed him an olive tree

in a neighboring city.

Today, we were both appreciating

the Chinese rain tree canopy.

Whether he will remember or not

at the tender age of 3.5,

I don’t know,

But I teach him anyway.

A few days later,

I see the word internalized

in his growing vocabulary,

very rewarding to me

as I see him turn into a little botanist.