I am one among those,
who survived on the roadside
With scanty rain water and scanty waste water
I grew slow with not enough food
feeble body I had and feeble limbs too
At times broken by skidding vehicle
At times broken by playing slum kids
I dared these challenges
Grew so green and grew in stature
With sprawling limbs and big crown
A feeble kid before, sheltering feeble people now
Me, a shelter to birds, shelter to mankind
My pride grew with strength
Just as every day
I opened my arms to cuddle my people
unaware of my killers
They cut my limbs, cut my trunk
Being dumb, I couldn’t seek help
So was left to bleed
Just like a woman.
( The writer’s email: anithaveldurai@gmail.com )
