Deep are the Roots
Deep are the RootsThe roots are deep,
No matter where they are transplanted
They always reach the mother Earth,
The original place of birth...
When a seed takes birth,
It is a potential tree,
Then it sprouts and begins to grow,
When it's still tender,
It can be easily plucked,
And can grow to a beautiful tree,
Anywhere on Earth...
But when a seed is already,
A mighty full-blown tree,
It just cannot be felled,
It cannot be transplanted,
Or it will die a premature death,
But its seeds can be transported,
to any place on earth,
Where they can become big trees
And 'canopy the herd'...
This seed has sailed in the wind
Riding across the Sahara dust
Its wings have spread across the blue
The memories washed from its mind
On the crest of parting waves
It crawls upon a desert shore
The fingers are without a print
It is now without a name
Its roots are plunged into virgin soil
It spreads across the open plain
Its fruits are bore and look the same
But deep inside something has changed
Shadowed by daring creatures
Whispering now in strange tongues
It is now without a culture
Longing for the Indian sun
Far removed without reason why
It has grown to call this motherland
But stories of a native place
Beckon with outreaching hands
These roots are sprawled across these hills
It has imprinted my new identity
Christened to spawn a new race of trees
That look the same but grow differently
But no matter where these roots may lie
In Bombay or in Port-of-Spain
My heart will forever fly
The Indian flag over the rice-filled plains
The journey has been long and winding
Like the beauty of the Cobra snake
But in that land of birth more now than ever,
My roots are deep, make no mistake.
Blessed are those who remember their roots,
Who know, from whence they came,
Who want to remember the mother Earth
Who gave them birth and who gave them
their identity, which gave them a sense of
belonging, who gave them a cause to live for,
A reason to die for, and soul to live by...
But no matter where the life takes you,
Do not be afraid, to make your claim on
this Earth; you have equal rights, 'cause
no matter where you live on earth that
Soil becomes yours, because your ancestors
Adopted it as their own, so now it is yours.
So, give yourself to it, as if it is your own,
Then it will adapt you, with open arms,
as its very own; So, do not feel alienated,
Live your life to full, as long as you don't forget,
Your Origin and your Roots, cause this
I'll say again: Deep are the Roots...
Authors: Zoya Zaidi and Shas Ramlogan
Aligarh (India) and Trinidad and Tobago
Copyright: Zoya Zaidi and Shas Ramlogan
Poetry by Zoya Zaidi
Read 761 times
Written on 2006-05-29 at 08:01
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