I love you. Pool Garden

Photo: PineForest

 The Trees

They breathe oxygen into my lungs.
They shelter me from the sun and storms.
Parading all the hues of blue and green

for my eyes to rest upon as I gaze out at the ether.


The Water

She snuggles me in the bosom of her depths.

She makes me gurgle and gasp.

She takes my breath away, each time I suck in

the life surrounding me atop the water.

The Japanese Black Pines

They surround all four corners of the pool garden.

Each standing vigilant like samurai warriors standing guard,

strong and dignified in the sun and wind, day and night.

I love you. Tropical Trees.

 A Walk in The Park on a Sunday Afternoon.

Last Sunday I took a walk in honour of Hypertension & Gout Awareness month. 

I was walking for my brother who has been a long sufferer of Gout. 

The Zoom walk with friends who attended from parts of the world took all of 20 minutes. It was a fun maiden 'zoom' walk for our startup and very heartening to feel the love from my family & friends.

My local team mate and his daughter were too exhausted to carry on so I continued my walk under the canopy of the tall tropical giants. It was a blazing afternoon but the spread of foliage from the numerous trees provided me cool comfort.

Though it was a hot afternoon, it was so cooling in some parts that moss grew in abundance under the Ficus and Tembusu trees. I couldn't resist, I promptly plonked my sweaty butt on the soft & spongy, cool carpet of green. I sat on the moss, kicked off my shoes and my inhibitions, remained very still for what seemed to be the entire afternoon. Apart from the trees, I had the magpies, the butterflies, the squirrels and the monitor lizards for company.

Soon it was time to leave, reluctantly I lingered around and walked on to the other end just to visit and pay homage to more ancient trees. As I frolicked among the trees one last time, the thought hit me again, the same though I had each time I walk the parks or forests.  

Wouldn't it be nice if we had all the names of the trees in the park proudly displayed on their trunks instead of just letters & numbers on a tag?  

I know for a fact that every tree just, like every person has a name. 

Can you imagine how the trees will feel to have their names proudly displayed for all to see?

Besides, what's worse than a horse with no name?

Walk On.

I Love You. MCO 3.0 Lockdown

Missing nature. More than people.

Today is the first day of another nation-wide 'lockdown'. 

Everyone agrees this is a necessary move to limit the free movement of our people, who otherwise would be visiting friends & relatives in the tradition of Hari Raya. It is due to this that Hari Raya clusters were started, sending unprecedented Covid-19 cases and casualties through the roof. 

Prior to this lockdown, there was a previous one which was too lax and taken too lightly by the masses.

Nevertheless the last MCO 3.0 prompted me to write a poem about my missing the forest. 

It was in late April during the start of the South West monsoons. (I was keeping it in the desperate hope that it'll age better like fine Burgundy)

Missing the Forest not the Trees

Thunderstorms & Rain, Days & Weeks on end.

Missed the outdoors & the trees.

Addicted to solitude in my cave, I yearn to walk in the forest 

Rain & wetness grows incessant.

Saw a window of evening sky free of rain.

Still wet from day long drizzle, the twilight inviting

Pulled my pants and my spirit on & out the door and onto the premises I went

How I have missed the road, trees, and flowers waning in the muted twilight

I am once again one with nature bathed in the swaying embrace of the trees 

Lining the perimeter they all reach out to greet me, shower me, swathing me.

Forests too far, the nearby trees I take for granted, beckon & cheer me on.

Hugged & kissed by the shrubbery, the rows of majestic pines, the phalanx of erect ashokas.

All along the walkway they line, as if for the first time, I walk with new strides.

Blessed & thankful. I am.

Lockdowns and lessons from the past can now help us be more aware of our situation. 

We know how to take responsibility for our selves and our loved ones. 

We know that by avoiding unnecessary travel and contact with others can help flatten the curve. 

With vaccination efforts being scaled up nationwide, we should reach herd immunity by August. 

Now that is truly something for all of us to look forward to.

Have a Happy two weeks of Lockdown everyone. I'm enjoying it already.