Father and the Tree

               - Kanha Joshi ‘Uday’

Twice a year,

I visit home—

Once in autumn,

And once in monsoon.

During autumn,

The tree standing in our courtyard

Sheds its leaves,

Its branches turn dry

And grow weak.

Watching it,

Father, lost in thought,

Consoles himself, saying,

“There’s nothing to worry about,

The tree will turn green again in monsoon.”

Now, once again,

I have returned home in monsoon.

The tree stands tall, lush, and strong,

And with pride, Father says,

“Look! The tree has come back to life.”

Father is happy.

And as I watch him, I wonder—

Why is it that, after growing weak in autumn,

Only the tree gets to flourish again?