the old story goes
that the father
of George -
who some day would be
our first president -
went into the orchard
to admire the young trees
and found that one
was chopped in half.
'Did you, George,
with your little axe
cut down
the cherry tree?'
'I cannot tell a lie,
Father. It was I.'
No coverup
from young George.
I wonder though
what has happened
to the tree
and why a child
might be given an axe
the quandary of america
oh say can you see