The desolate desert heart of the old Banyan tree
Happily touched by dew-dropped rains unexpectedly
Brought the tears of joy in his murky eyes, just the other day
Its top-most branch burnt in scorching sun, though.
But then the weeping willow wiped the tears in unfathomable joy
The veggie garden was fresh, peacocks mated ahead of the monsoon.
Alas despite untold assurance, the grazing ground of trust is lost
The old insane in ungreased and unkempt hair sits under the tree
Just a while ago he got wet in scanty rain water, a few drops only
Touched him from in between the leaves and now like a thirsty bird
He is in perennial pain, the fog of despair has laid a siege
On this old tree; his astonished eyes looks for a cloud of relief.
He now recalls in gratitude the moment when he got drenched
In the rains of love in the dusky day, an experience he never
Felt before; the drops of unseen rains purified the leaves and branches
And since then, until now, he craves for that shrouded cloud and
But then the rains were Gone as fast as they came,
The earthy heart is now transformed into a dry stone.
Will this long awaiting night of the Banyan tree be drowned in darkness
Or will the moonlit night lightened up the lost love in all its fairness !
July 31,2016. Maryland
Copyright@Anis Ahmed
[ A transliteration of my Bengali poem প্রতীক্ষা যখন বৃষ্টির ]