Around a little town's corner
amid rain and breeze,
growing by the roadside
there's a tiny grove of trees
"I'm grown along the roadsides,
my leaves are nutritious and mellow.
People grow me for fodder
cattle loves me", smirks willow
"I might be deserted for being crooked
left to grow on a rock,
people shelter under my boughs
in the scorching sun and rain", prides oak
"Majestic and virile
I can't be felled to make a log,
creatures dwell in my hollow..
ecologically important I am", says hemlock
"My exudate's used as libation,
evils with my incense I repress,
associated with the Buddha
I am sacrosanct" cries cypress
"I can be sculpted on..
tender, soft and fine
sought after for furniture
I beat you all", remarks pine.
People from the municipality comes along
when the bright sun shone
with maps and axes...
an hour later, all the trees are gone!
Karma Thukten
25th of May, 2022
Maokhola-Gelephu
