Years ago in my newly built home br A curry leaf sapling, I planted in form; br I nursed it like my own child with care br And it grew into a tree with luxuriant fare br br The winged visitors’ host and abode br To partake in its bountiful hoard br Of fruits and seeds in the wee hours of dawn br And make a merry chirp to wake me at morn br br The curry leaves plucked fresh from the tree br Added aroma and taste to the cuisines free; br Nature’s bounties freely shared, new friends made br From lashing rains, it yielded shield and in summer shade br br All living bodies must perish one day br My mossy tree too showed signs of decay br Termites at the roots boring through its core br Gave me an inkling of what is in store br br With barren boughs in summer and all leaves shed br The tree looked naked and the branches wilted br When the rains brought forth new sprouts of foliage br The load brought it down without any damage br br Plants and trees, our closest eco friends, living br To serve other creatures without self and dying, br Etch a golden memory in our minds, lingering br To mourn them for long, their fond eulogies singingbr br Venkateswaran Krishnan Sreenivasanbr br