Be a tree
Be a tree
Get wet in sorrow's shower and you'll recover.
From envy's scorching sun gather strength
For then your trunk's fruits will ripen sweetly
And your leaves will clap in sheer excitement,
Shading all of your stretched out parts.
Truth be told, they are the world's first lovers!
Never ever fall in love with the birds
They'll eat your fruits only when the season suits them
During raging storms you may expose your body's cracks to shelter them
But don't expect anything in return for such gestures from the birds
For they will come to you only as they fly past you.
The fruits on your trunk will attract new birds for sure
But your enchanting branches aren't meant to shelter migratory birds.
Having rested in your shade, wayfarers will pick your flowers and leaves
Some of them will break a branch or two without any reason.
If such things pain you, no worries!
Don't collapse at the feet of such cruel wayfarers.
O tree, always, hold your head up high
And keep giggling in the southern breeze!
Quazi Johirul Islam is a poet who is currently residing in New York due to a job posting in UN Headquarters.
Fakrul Alam is Bangabandhu Chair Professor, Department of History, University of Dhaka.
Comments