He grabbed my hand and yelled, “Come see! Come see!”
And excitedly pointed to our big shade tree.
“Yes I see; it’s a tree” I thoughtlessly said.
With wise young eyes, he sadly shook his head.
“Silly Grandpa, Can’t you see? It’s not just a tree! It’s so much more.
It’s a place to play, to build, to climb, and explore
A secret place to talk, and hide, and pretend we’re spies!”
To make a swing or just about anything!”
Now it was my turn to shake my head, and I said, “Silly, silly me!
Of course! How could I have forgotten! It’s much more than a tree!
The years had blinded these old eyes to all the things a tree can be.
Thank goodness you were here to help me once again see!
“Grandpa, come see what else I’ve found!
It’s big, light brown, and lying on the ground. “
Slow learner that I am, I answered him:
“It’s the box our new refrigerator came in”.
“Silly Grandpa,” he sighed and said, “Can’t you see?
It’s not just a box; it’s ANYTHING we want it to be!
A great big castle with an alligator-filled moat
Or a pirate ship that can sink any boat
“A fire engine that can fight the biggest fires
Or a Monster Truck with those great big tires.
A real fast car that we can race
Or a rocket ship we’ll take into outer space.
A screaming jet that we can fly
Or a big balloon to float in the sky.
We’ll look at whales in our submarine
See what I mean that it can be anything?”
That’s when I began to remember a thing or two
About what a cardboard box could do.
Then as I shared even more ideas that I’d begun to recall,
He smiled and said, “Grandpa, you’re not so silly after all!”
By Russ Towne
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
a toy usually has one use a box 10,000 . Good one! Now you are songwriter/poet
“…a box 10,000.” So true!
Thank you, Bill!
Russ
Russ, you delighted me – with your box…and your tree!
Thank you for your kind comment!
Russ
Love this 🙂
Thank you, Boomie!
Lovely Russ. I remember that grand day when my Grandpa got a new fridge – the whole neighborhood used that box until it disintegrated.
LOL! Oh, the fond memories It was like Christmas at our house when my parents got a new large major appliance. Those boxes were the best “toys” ever invesnted!
Russ
Awww. 🙂 Awesome story.
Thank you, my awwwsome friend!
Russ
Feeling old and a little stale? Here’s a remedy that’ll never fail: Go get a kid and rub elbows a while. Before you know it, you’ll have a fresh smile! Your brain will awake, creative juices will flow. There’s nothing like a grandchild. Ask a silly grandpa. He’ll know!!
LOL! Love it! Thank you, my friend!
Russ
Great poem and a reminder of what a child’s imagination can be…Diane
Thank you, Diane. I aplogize for the delayedd reply. I was off-line and out of town for a couple of days.
Russ
Don’t feel bad…Since our move last Wednesday I have so much reading to try and catch up on at least some of it….We’ve been so busy with this move….Diane
Good luck with the unpacking and stuff, Diane. Moves can be such an “adventure”. ;-D!
Russ