THE SHADE

There were moments galore

in her life

whenever he was by her side.

Like a protective covering

she used to recall a

giant banyan tree

in front of her street-side house

on the other side of the street.

The banyan tree,

a large green umbrella

provided shade to

lots of pedestrians and villagers alike

who in the course of a tedious journey

used to take rest in the shade of the umbrella

to escape from the searing sun raining fire from above.

It was her hobby, watching them

through the window sills

right from her childhood, teens

and a part of her youth

thinking over the great relief

provided to them

by the mammoth umbrella.

Lying by his side in the thick of nights

she lay sleepless, while he got drowned

in deep slumber, recalling the picture of the

giant green umbrella

far away in her native village

did reflect in the mirror of her mind frequently

which is a museum of

bountiful memories.

The feelings of love, care

and protection provided

by him overwhelmed her

with joy and like a dancing

enchantress enthralling a large audience

she lay rejoiced with her hand around him.  

Now that he is

far, far away from her

she feels like a

lady left alone in a desert

under the burning sun.

And though the giant

umbrella - the banyan

tree which stood with its head held high

with pride and delight

already disappeared

from in front of her street-side home

which was uprooted

in the name of infrastructure development in later years

which she happened to

learn from the letters reaching

her from her siblings

once in a while.

The picture of the banyan

tree still appears before her

like an uninvited guest

making her weep like a baby

in her moments of solitude.

He, the banyan tree

of her life once

who provided her love,

care and protective covering

often appears in her dreams

and consoles her

with a beaming smile:

‘I am with

you. Don’t worry ,dear’.

The dreams always makes her

cry with tears pouring

down her cheeks….