*
The below is a first person account of a village tree who lost the friendship of a small boy to the big charm of the city..
*
At day break, I wait for your shrill cries of laughter to pierce my ears..
I ponder while I drink the primary cocktail,
a gleaming red sun, the blue sky and the green field..
The train passes by mocking at me.. It’s whistle..
tells me a story of how you disappeared in the dark of the night..
I tell him, you and I are friends.. And that we are inseparable..
I decide to wait.. longing for a glimpse of
the farmer, the cart, the buffalo, a nursing mother,
the sounds of the mud vessels, the village gossip..
My afternoon in the tedium,
I stare at the vast earth in front of me..
An old man rests, but no tractors cough nearby..
I look down, the chalk from the hopscotch has washed away..
My feet that had endured the charcoal from the bonfire..
have grown weeds..
I stand still to hear the harvest celebrations.. I hear none,
then I know,
it is just not going to be the same without you..
In time my leaves will go away, I will wither and die,
But for now, they promise to come back next spring..
To be dressed up in green and to dance on my arms..
My brothers have all perished and caused a crying flood..
Just as they were,
I will be parted and uprooted from my earth..
The wind picks up my anxiety, her embrace is wild and warm..
As it runs through my branches, I feel strangely lovely..
‘C’est la vie my dear’, she says and smiles..
So, just for the rock record, let me tell you,
I love you and I miss you.
And wherever life has taken you, I only wish you the best..
And if you ever choose to come back,
and I am still standing,
I won’t spend your money and some, my friend, and there isn’t the worry of a rush hour..
*
2010: For the next four decades, every minute, 31 Indians will arrive in an Indian city like Mumbai for the lure of its big city charm.
2012: According to data from the Housing Assistance Council (HAC), only about 21 percent of Americans live in rural areas.
Picture Credit: Timo from morning hour
* * *
About The Article Author:
Our mission with FutureSTRONG Academy – to grow children who respect themselves, their time and their capabilities in a world where distractions are just a click or a swipe away.
I see myself as an advocate for bringing social, emotional and character development to families, schools and communities. I never want to let this idea out of my sight – Our children are not just GPAs. I’m a Writer and a Certified Master Coach in NLP and CBT. Until 2017, I was also a Big Data Scientist. In December of 2044, I hope to win the Nobel. Namasté.
Write to me or call me. Tell me what support from me looks like.
Rachana Nadella-Somayajula,
Program Director & Essential Life Skills Coach for Kids and Busy Parents
Poetry
The Mother Of All Emotions
* Before you think you can put a finger on love, Think of the time you saw the size of the butter stickin your mother's pie. Think about how all your life,you'll work hard enough to make your mother proud,Yet, you'll look up to see if the whole world has taken...
The Emigrant’s Anthem
* I Pursuing dreams,First steps Beckoning opportunities,Across oceans Proud sacrifices,Glistening eyes * II Anxious freedom,Fertile memories Loyal sentiments,Burning dedication Liberating happiness,Humbled notions * III ...
You Know You’re a Mom When..
* You've wondered about your fear of death, when the only thing you have always been petrified about is your child digging into that forbidden closet or the bathroom cupboard to find out the secret stash of “things”? You've looked down on the bathroom floor to...
The Many Predicaments of a Single Woman
* She walks as a liberal icon among peoplewho don’t realize their thoughtsare their barbed wires. She'll march the streets for the disenfranchised,and maybe for those born with ugly faces,but not for them who have the talent for picking the wrong men. What...
Momentous: A Poem On The Value Of Time
* It’s not the lack of money that makes me cry like my heart is about to burst.You want to know what it is? It’s something you have or don’t more than I do, because there’s no straight finish line here.It ticks away silently mocking our indignant ways...
When Home Is Still Here And We Aren’t
* Unlike refugees, who don't have a home behind or infront of them, we have a home. But, Will it remember all those mornings that the woodpecker made mating calls from its roof?How on sleepless nights, someone read and made notes from a borrowed J....
ప్రియ శరణార్థీ! నా జీవితం ఇలా నడవనీ.. (Dear Refugee, My Life Must Go On..)
* * * The original English version: Dear Refugee, my life must go on.. This poem appeared originally in The Saaranga Magazine HERE. * నన్నల్లుకున్న వెచ్చని కార్డిగన్, మెత్తని నా అరచేతుల మధ్య పొగలు కక్కే ‘లికరస్’ టీ........... పౌర హక్కుల్ని...
Why Darkness Can Be a Gift
* If a person has any greatness inside, it comes to light, not in one flamboyant hour, but in the ledger of one’s daily work.~ Beryl Markham * Years ago, you had looked up to see if anyone loved what you wrote.You tried to look in their eyes to...
Dear Refugee, My Life Must Go On..
* * * The translated Telugu version: ప్రియ శరణార్థీ! నా జీవితం ఇలా నడవనీ.. This poem appeared originally in The Saaranga Magazine HERE. * It's not too unthinkable,sipping licorice tea in my cardigan,And day dreaming of a life of civil liberties....
Momentous: A Poem On The Value Of Time
* It's not the lack of money that makes me cry like my heart is about to burst.You want to know what it is? It's something you have or don't more than I do, because there's no straight finish line here.It ticks away silently mocking our indignant ways...
Perceiving My Anthropology
* I don't know what moves him.I remember the day he came back home tohide his red eyes behind that newspaperafter he lit his mother's pyre.This is the man, the brunt of all my emotions,whose lifetime fits in this poem. It's mostly the appalling nature of...
To My Estranged One
* Ok, I admit; I still have that shameful longingness.When you gathered everything else up and left me to myself, And, when the war of words ended, It was clear that the love between us had begun to show cracks.It would never happen to me, was the conviction I...
Questions, just ask!
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Another great poem!
Thanks for using my picture – I think it really fits to it.
I love trees, they give me a peaceful feeling.
awesome choice of nomination,
Thanks for taking it.
Smiles!
Why does the little boy in me keep singing Puff the Magic Dragon as I read this? Why did I follow your link to legalruralism?
You got something here that tastes authentic and true. Every single bite!
Thanks.
michael j
This is wonderful! a gift really! Thanks for your comment, and I am so pleased to have met you through the lovely and kind jingle!
Dear Heart – what a well chosen name – I was so engrossed with your tree’s hard won acceptance of the loss of a precious young friend that coming across your nomination nearly put me in its branches. Your gesture has me sitting in awe. Please accept my gratitude – encapsulated in drops of tears.
http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/the-celebrate-blogger-of-august-awards-art-cooking-humor-short-stories/
award notice, sorry for being late.
It is not hard to get into the mindframe of believing the plea of this tree in your poem, Rachana. I think back of all the places I have lived and I can remember the trees in my different yards that provided shade, a windbreak, or a song on a breezy evening as their leaves rustled. Beautiful poem.
This is a wonderful poem, rather unique in its perspective. It’s a lovely gift. Thank you.
Congratulations on your award. I do love, by the way, that you refer to Jingle as “The Poetry Crusade” on your blog roll. Delightful! and True …
Poem on, my friend.
Wonderful poem. Thank you for sharing it.
What a beautiful poem :)
It creates a vivid picture in our mind as we read each line. Hope to see more such poems from you.
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement, Rohan! I am glad you liked the visuals my poem gave you :)
Thanks for the visit!
Rachana.
Lovely. enjoyed this Rachana
Warmest Salad
Luke
Thanks for visiting Luke, I am very glad you liked it! Appreciate your time, Rachana
This poem rocks…
Beautifully written :)
Sumit, I like your comment so much.. It just matches with my poem, the tree, the train, the boy, and the pebbles(rocks) you added now!
Thanks so much for your time and feedback!!
Please vote if you can, voting helps you exposed to other poets and make new friends in our community.
Merry Christmas,
Hope to See you at potluck week 16 tomorrow…
We will have a break after week 16, and come back on week 18…
Blessings!
Your support means a world to us..
xxx
Thank you so much Jingle for your visit.. ! I have been busy with work and personal health issues, but you are still considerate inspite of my absence and I truly appreciate that..
There are so many updates from you, I know you have been working too hard for our poets community! You my friend, rock!!
Thank you for your trackback on my poem, and for all the wonderful visitors you brought, I am grateful..
Hope you enjoy your Week 17 break in a selfish way!! You deserve it!
just brilliant :)
Hello Tweety, thanks for visiting! How wonderful to meet a poetess who writes in Hindi.. That is a great and lovely too!!
Good luck with your blog and thank you for your feedback!
Rachana.
Lovely. Thanks for awakening good memories via your poetry.
Happy Holidays.
Cha
http://chaspalette.wordpress.com/2010/12/19/forgive-me/
Hello Cha!
Thanks for your visit, and I am so glad that we connect in memory lane.. That is great to hear :)
Hope to read you soon!!
Rachana.
wow.. what a wonderful story and emotion. i like the way you give the train life “The train passes by mocking at me.. It’s whistle.. tells me a story of how you disappeared in the dark of the night.. I tell him, you and I are friends.. And that we are inseparable..”
Hello Robin, thank you for your kind comments.. I appreciate when people tell me specifically what they feel connected to the most in my writing.. And for I am grateful to you! Thanks for the visit, hope to read you soon!!
Rachana.
Trees rock. You, even more so Rachana.
Keep up.
Hi there,
Interesting website you got there. Hope to read more!
And thanks so much for your review, appreciate that! Glad you are on board this train.. :)
Rachana.
And wherever life has taken you, I only wish you the best… this was a great wish for someone we miss and care about dearly!
Thanks for visiting me Rachana, it was nice to find a comment from you! All the best!
You are very welcome Blaga, and thanks for your feedback on my poem.. It feels genuinely happy for me when people like who write so much and play so eloquently with words like what I write.. I appreciate it,
Rachana
Reblogged this on Heart™.