The Element Of Determination Poem by Bashyam Narayanan

I will be the last leaf
To fall
From this tall tree
This fall

Was my thinking
When I chose to strike
Three months back
On a much extended
Branch of this oak tree
By the side of the road

Things started changing
Over the period
And there was
A steady dropp in temperature
Many leaves much above me
And by the side of me
Changing colours
From yellow to purple
Waiting for the ultimate fall

But I am yet to change
Maintaining my original green
Active still producing
Carbohydrates with my chlorophyl
Despite the weak solar input

I was very happy
As most of the leaves
Have fallen
Changing the colour
Of the lawn beneath
From the grassy green to
The leafy yellow

It so happened
That I was the lone green leaf
In the entire tree
Left unturned to yellow

The very next afternoon
A scientist, botanist must be,
Reached over me
Standing on a ladder
Examined me with a
Magnifying glass
Ran his fingers over me

And to my dismay
Plucked me from the branch

Though crying within
I was glad
I am the last leaf
To fall

“Dr Wilson, what could be
There special in this leaf
Which managed to stand green
And strong so long
With no signs of falling
Even at the peak of
This fall”
Said Dr Van Buren,
The botanist

A portion of mine
Was bleached
A portion of mine
Was digested in acid
My extracts
Were chromatographed,
Electro-phoresised
Atomic absorption spectrographed

Dr Wilson
Phoned up to
Dr Van Buren
“There is nothing analysed
Abnormal and special
With the contents
Of the leaf sample
Given here for anaysis.

But, I could sense
The element of determination
In this leaf
Which made it
Strick on
Despite all odds”