The generous and the selfish

a poem by Malathi Jagannathan

Oh mighty tree! How barren you stand, this wintry day,
While mortals, we, are wrapped up full,
In Clothes all warm, to keep away chill.
You shed thy leaves and give warmth
To the bare feet of men, poorer amongst us,
While we greedy men
Grab all the wool from yonder sheep
To keep us warm and snug.

Oh lofty tree! How proud you stand, flowers all in bloom,
All through the spring, spreading thy fragrance to one and all,
And we petty mortals, care not at all,
We squeeze them in bottles to be sold as perfumes
For the exclusive use of a privileged few.

Oh generous tree! You stand so tall
All full of leaves on a quiet summer day,
We hapless men stand almost bare
To shove away the scorching sun’s glare.
You give us fruits, so tasty and sweet,
They tickle our taste buds and make us go crazy!
And yet we men, we merciless men,
Cut down ye trees to fulfill our needs, oh what a pity!