Poem: A 100-year-old Bodhi Tree

A 100-year-old Bodhi Tree

I found it standing 

on a quiescent knoll

offering a lofty view 

of Paya Lebar

in part.

I wondered 

how it would feel like

if I could share 

the life of this tree –

one 7-year-old boy –

sitting beneath as he would 

40 years ago

and looking down 

the bucolic view

when all was green

as far as his eyes could see.

He would be sad indeed - 

very sad – knowing 

this tree of his roots

would be cut down 

40 years on and now...

how... how have we no room

for a gentle old tree?

Where it stands - be it

Buddhist or Taoist, Hindu or Sikh,

a temple, a mosque, 

church or synagogue,

 - the tree, wherever it may 

destined be,

provides its loving shade

to all in need.

Brethren, 

need we a better world for

multi-culturalism 

and ethnicity

and peace

than under a gentle tree?

Come brethren,

come touch this Bodhi Tree –

For it may soon be too late

to offer your hopes

that 100 years

 of loving kindness

will not be torn, shattered 

and gored

to splinters and dust.

- Joseph Lai