Buds Of Life
As a budding leaf
As a budding leaf, I looked up at the tree-
The tallest,
The biggest, and widest in the forest.
As a budding leaf, I had my preferences.
The hot sun was too hot-
The cold winter was too cold-
The autumn made me wither-
The rainfall made me drown.
As a budding leaf, I looked up at the tree-
The tallest,
The biggest, and the widest in the forest.
Did the tree also complain fervently about the hot sun?
The cold winter?
The rainfall?
The autumn drops?
As a budding leaf, I fell in love with the fertilizer.
The potassium makes me faster and think better.
The phosphorus and nitrogen give me hope.
Hope that one day, I’d be the tree that I look up to.
As a budding leaf, I despised the termites-
I despised the leafhoppers, the leaf armyworms, and the leaf beetles
As a budding leaf, these were my archenemies
Just like the Joker is to Batman
Just like Lex Luther is to Superman-
Just like corruption is to Nigeria-
Just like capitalism is to the West.
As a budding leaf, I wondered…
Did the leafhoppers disturb the tree?
The tallest,
The biggest, and widest in the forest.
Did the leaf beetles
Smite or bite the tree?
The tallest,
The biggest, and widest in the forest.
I wondered…
As a budding leaf.
Made to stand the test of time
As a budding leaf,
During autumn-
The most beautiful photos are taken.
Not with me on my branches
Not with me still attached to my roots
But with me on the soil
Discoloured
Chlorophyll??
Not in sight.
Until next season
As a budding leaf
A budding leaf
A leaf.
Has its dreams.
Until next season…
As a budding tree,
Knowing my past lives like an avatar.
As a budding tree,
I set up my little white fence-
To keep the squirrels away,
To keep the raccoons away,
To keep the bugs away.
As a budding tree,
I had myrrh on my branches.
To keep the leaf worms away,
To keep the leaf armyworms away,
And to keep the termites away.
As a budding tree, I thrived.
As a budding tree, I learned of the storm.
Nothing like I have ever seen before
St-o-r-m
The termites and the squirrels seemed more reasonable now.
S-t-o-r-m.
Faceless and headless.
Valhalla-
Turbulent and violent.
Catastrophic.
As a budding tree, I learned of earthquakes.
The ground moves,
The ground shakes,
Ultra violent.
The leaf worms and termites?
Child’s play.
As a budding tree, I loved the birds
The goldfinch, the canary, the blackbird, and the nightingale
The Robin?
Compliments my branches with its red and the scenery with its chirps.
As a budding tree,
My roots grow deeper and deeper into the earth
In search of nutrients, absorbing nutrients, and transporting water
Keeping me up
As a budding tree,
I stand as the tallest-
I stand as the biggest, and widest in the forest because-
The roots keep me up-
I am oblivious to how my roots keep me up and nourish me.
Just like politicians are oblivious to the sufferings of the masses.
As a budding tree,
I wonder…
Do the mountains have roots?
Do the mountains need nourishment from the core of the earth?
Do the termites, the leaf worms, the leaf armyworms-
The squirrels and the raccoons
Do they bother the mountain?
As a budding tree,
As a tree.
I look up at the mountains.
Everest Nnalugha LLB writes satirical poems centered on criticism, thought-provoking questions, societal norms and practices we have been made to believe without questioning. Everest is set to publish an anthology (a collection of poems).
Everest also pens Bi-monthly articles on Medium which places a microscope on society and seeks to open a third eye to readers as to “what, how, and why” Everest shares poems on Instagram with the handle @_jack.xd.
INSTAGRAM: @_JACK.xd
MAIL: jacknnalugha@icloud.com
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
NIGERIA