I REMEMBER

I remember how the branches of the gulmohar tree,

Moved hastily during the time of wet seasons of the year

The soft orange flowers fell like snow on the ground

Giving a picture of a new sunset, as if the sun rose from the ground

The tree stood high bearing all the harshness of the weather giving shelter to those

Under him,

It was in front of the place where I grew up, seeing the never ending beauty of it

I admired it every day and in all seasons, but the beauty would never fade away.

The dripping of water dip by dip from the leaves, as if the pearls from an oysters mouth,

As if the dew of the morning, fresh and new.

The branches spreading all over, some to my place even, shedding its orange petals all over,

I don’t remember how many flowers I fetched from the tree but I still remember the gulmohar tree,

The tree grew higher every time, having more orange petals over it and its beauty became more refined.

The hustling and buzzing sound of the leaves when the wind blew, felt sometimes as if the tree,

Now has a voice of its own, and it narrates proudly about its own majestic beauty.

Some sparrows and parrots had their nest over it, and the chirping sound of the birds added a jingle to the tree.

The tree reminds me still, of my childhood days, playing around it, is one of the best memories I have,

The tree is a witness of the generations, it saw what passed by, and will be seeing the future.

The gulmohar tree has still got the deep orange colour and a soft sweet smell which it once had,

Smelling it would bring me memories back.

It is still there, often I pass by it, and still I take the orange flowers back

I still remember the gulmohar tree………………………