I live on a tree that kisses the moon in a forest far far away
For my hideous face, none would like, nor man, nor beast nor bird of prey
Five suns past my day of birth mercilessly was I thrashed and thrown,
I cried, I wept, I knelt and begged for mercy to be shown;
They cursed, they kicked, they screamed and said, “To evil you bear semblance!”
The heart I had, it withered and died in this pitch dark forest’s obscene silence
But hither hours turned to days, days to months and those to years
Time reformed all, named pain a companion and dispelled all my fears
Until one day, fate dealt a different card
Disbelief stopped my steps and for once the night seemed starred
For beneath a tree she sat, as if in a trance
At that sight did my wilted heart blossom and enhance
For she looked at me and did not flee
But gifted me a smile filled with glee
‘How did you reach this wretched woods? ‘ spoke I
‘I slipped and fell,’ she sang ‘from the endless deep blue sky.’
For days and days we laughed and danced
Not once my ugly past had I glanced
She said she wouldn’t leave me for the heavens above
And promised that I was the only one she’d love
And I forgot all the injustices fate had washed towards my shore
Who could believe that this was life and not a tale or lore?
To adorn her I wanted gems and to the village we drifted to look for them
As she saw the people, I saw her and on her face did an emotion stem
‘They look like me’ she spoke beneath her breath
‘None as beautiful as thou,’ I said, ‘ in life or death.’
Before I retreated to my sleep, I thanked the heavens for a gift so dear
With whom was entwined my every cheer
And then the sun sprang up and scattered light
I waited to hear the maiden’s hum, that dawned my day and wiped my night
But alas! There was nothing I could hear or see but a broken chain and shattered beads
Why had she left? Had I faltered? Didn’t my love shine through my deeds?
While I searched for her through the jungle, to tame my thirst I bent down
And in the lake I saw my answer, and I decide that my hideous self should drown.
