Poetry

The Echoing Tree

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

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