Home » Poems » Neldy Jolo » Story of the Trees

Story of the Trees

I talked to trees about you.
I told them “don’t they importunate.”
“I texted you already”
I miss you every day.
Will tell you I need to do something
Once upon a time in a faraway mountain
Speaking in a language
Only the wind and lost people understood
A group of trees stood

I told them “I usually talk to someone every day”.
It’s a big change to be in this mountain
And they the trees said
“So why don’t you talk to him everyday”
I told him “he is far”.
And the trees said “but you are still far”
I told tree “yes it’s both the same being far”
But here in this mountain I am not free
So this is a big change for me

So the trees said
“You can still talk to him”
“We will bring your thoughts”
“And let it cross to oceans”
“Until your memory matches”
But I said if I keep thinking I might suffer
And I might run to cross the ocean myself
And the trees said “when we too feel this we pray to our maker”
“Because trees practice patience too”

I told them that I know that, but I thank them for reminding me.
I also told them “that because we talked everyday for a long time.”
I can be patient not to talk to him for a long time because God gave me that as a gift in advance.
So patience is just a small payment for this silence.
So I am calm already.
I told them “he loves trees too”
And he used to climb mountains when he was younger.
So they like you too

I also told them that you got your back pain from trotting the hills
So they told me “when you come back home talk to him about us”
They said “tell him we kept you company”
“And we tried not to let our twigs and branches fall on your hut when the wind is strong”
I also told them that you have lectures about trees.
And they drooled over it.

One tree said “oh he seems to be a good guy”
I told them you are pretty too.
There are many trees there.
Some of them have holes in the middle.
Wounds made from fighting between the military and the freedom fighters
But they stand still oblivious to their surrounding and their predicament

They are as tall as three to four storey buildings.
And they are thick while some have hollow centers
Ah trees have seen so many things
I hope they didn’t get tired of my staring
With my niqab they can see my eyes so tired

I have to sleep.
We will talk again tomorrow
The durian there is creamy
Gift of Allah to those who can’t go home.
In the month of Ramadan
I sleep and tomorrow we talked.

23 April 2014
Malaysia

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.