POOR OLD TREE

I am an old tree ...very old tree
I have seen about five thousand
springs and autumns,....many winters
many a blizzards,
and many furious winds
have unsuccessfully tried to uproot me,
I withstood all the attempts at my life
Many a caravans have rested under my shade
Many a birds have come to me and
put their chicks under my care...
Many invading armies have planned
their strategies and executed these in front of my eyes
I have the honour of providing shade
to the great warrior Alexandra of Macedonia.
More recently Mughal King Babar pitched
his royal tent under my shade;
Even Prince Saleem and Anarkali
had their rendezvous in my shade.....More recently
Mirza and his love Sahiban had their tryst
in my lap,Mirza went to sleep under my caressing
and comforting shade...
unfortunately his own brothers
caught up with him, and in a fierce dual
Mirza got slaughtered..Sahiban could only cry;
I also cried because they were my guests
but I was helpless; I could only cry silently;
my tears are invisible...
Only yesterday I have seen the bloodshed
and genocide between brothers
who have been living together..for centuries
they decided to part their ways
and started to live separately
I can only cry...my dear brothers.
I can only cry....
what can an old tree do
More recently some people have
started cutting my branches
for firewood..

I am standing at the borders
and looking helplessly;
What can old tree do...
Some people are thinking
of cutting me and
selling me in the market
for profit and hoarding...
My heart cries...
but what can an Old tree do...
They are further thinking of
building their individual homes
with my wood and planks...
But what can an Old tree do...
I keep my ears and eyes open
but I can not open my mouth...
I have to watch silently....
It is a torture to see my
children fight and not be able to intervene
O my God! I don't want to see my children fighting
I feel like committing a harakiri...


---daman
16/07/2010