The Gulmohar Tree Poem by Zaid Akhtar

The Gulmohar Tree
As she Stood
Through the sands of time
Spreading her Limbs
For Quite a while
Her Greenish-Yellow Hue
Provided shelter to me & u.

Through the classrooms she peaked
For the knowledge she seeked
The most obedient
student throughout the week
No teacher did complain
As she learnt in wane

For Centuries she lived
WWII & the mysteries
the things we whispered
she was the eye witness

She protected a lover or two
For she nurtured us too
The love stories that bred
Product of few
did they least knew
your parents met here
its true

As she shared the view
looking at you
if only
the stories that she knew
as her branches grew
As the birds flew

The history & the present
the culture & legacy
The alma mater we share
the silent listener
to all our nightmare

As autumn crept
she bled
painting the field below
totally red
As a tiny boy
picked up a flower
for his lover
& she smiled
little did the kids knew
they had embarked on something knew
As they grew
their 1st kissed was here too

Also did she spread her wings like a mother's breast
For so many distressed
providing a soothing shelter
as they healed their wounds
for the heartbroken
as many cuplets they sang
poets were nurtured too

Oh did we use her bark as a wicket
For not once did she mind
Present doctors, engineers have sought her wind
if only she knew
with Pride would she brew

Men have come & gone
But she has lived a temporary immortal life
An eye witness to the making of our country's future
wish she had lips to tell
THE SILLY OLD GULMOHAR TREE AT THE CORNER OF THE WELL.