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The Tree Says 'Hi'

 


The tree says Hi!

My balcony was briefly an arboretum.
Windswept leaves splayed over the floor 
Like champion specimens -parts of a fine species-
Careening into a welcoming sanctum
That is otherwise empty- save for clothes on stands
Or people on feet. When this tree paid its timely visit
Luckily, there was nothing, no-one. It probably seized
A rare chance- when it was out of anchor, fit and fine,
In form- and the tiled floor bare. No sign of occupation.
It bore its way past the metal rails that serve to
Prevent our falls, but here cushioned the tree's.
It rested its somber branches easily on the rail,
Which is mighty strong and sturdy, as I can now discern.
It snooped its slender branches threateningly over
A cauldron of leaves. Green cauldron, green sorcerer.
When I woke, there it was, unshakeable, unmovable.
Oh, it was mobile alright. It'd have moved of its own will.
It was merely enjoying its soiree in a forbidden land,
Like we all do. But it just stared at me, with composure
Unexpected of a transgressor. It was defying my gaze.
I felt challenged. Yet, I knew that maybe, something,
Somewhere, today, was special, for the stars to have aligned
Such that our aloof long-time neighbor had paid us a visit, long overdue.
In eighteen years, it grew, shot up, and today, was ready to molt,
And break free. Same story as me? Maybe.
What shade it offered, what verdant sights
At close-hand. It painted green onto our window,
So to speak. It ushered in the freshness of green,
That we had so long been ignoring, setting aside-
The tree walked right inside my home,
Without as much a rap on the door as a jerk and a thud,
And it leaned in, arm jauntily on the balcony railing,
As it said 'Hi.'

An Aside: I realized while writing this poem that it resembles a famous poem by Adrienne Rich- 'The Trees', in which the forest walks into the poetess' house! That is literally what happened, in a sense! I strongly recommend that you read the poem, 'The Trees' if you haven't read it before, and regard it in its literal sense if it has been taught to you metaphorically. It's the best imagery that could be lent to what I experienced on the 10th of July, 2022!

Also do note: The picture above was shot by my camera at the site of the tree's arrival, which is my balcony. 

Comments

  1. Aparna Iyer11 July 2022 at 21:40

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ASHA GOPAL13 July 2022 at 08:47

    Poetic eloquence at its best. I love the way you have depicted the tree's emotions. Keep the poetic spirit going!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Raji Satyamurthy15 July 2022 at 05:56

    While I thought this was the end of the tree's life, you looked at it so differently and in a positive light . The use of language and words is mesmerizing as usual.

    ReplyDelete

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