Clash, with a terrific sound
The bitter axe fell ruthlessly
Upon the tender green branches of the marooned tree
A lonesome shade upon the dull dirty road
Where man walked to ease his drowned spirit
And sat beneath its mellow branches
Decked with the greenest green
The blow was deadly.
With a dying thud, it fell, face down
Upon the crying earth that
Spread its arms to cuddle and hold it to its breast
I heard the echoes
The dreadful beating of the sighing tree’s heart
A teardrop fell and the hungry earth, sucked it
Hoping to ease its pain
A rustling breeze ran trough the other dangling branch
To cool the pain… but by and by it too unclenched itself
And with a deadly groan fell dead with a ‘thunder’
Just then, the clouds shattered the environment
Angry winds blew the shedding leaves like racing ghosts
Driving them madly across the road
The groaning tree, the marooned road
Lay in a heap of maddening disaster
A soft yet audible echo rang into my ears
A warning … the tree seemed to be cursing man
For his folly… for destroying the flora
God so lovingly planted for man to enjoy its beauty
The refreshing winds that bring rain and abundance
Now all vanished … forever
“Take heed,” it cried
“You foolish mortals”
“You have destroyed God’s most cherished gift to man”
Do not forget
There is poetic justice.
~Shobha Diwakar
Jabalpur, India