A Human Tree’s Remorseful Pleas Poem by Dr John Celes

The time has come at last for the tree to die –
A mammoth tree that lived for long a time –
A tree with branches thick, and flowers, leaves –
A tree that was of use to all for long.

The crown is gone and branches tend to die;
The roots have stopped growing into the earth;
For years, the tree had lived and served so well;
Now white ants devour bark as tree’s end nears.

Not many live beyond a hundred years;
All earthlings die as death its duty does;
As life on earth is transient for all
A day will come for all of us to leave,

Behind all wealth and toil, good deeds and bad,
And rest awhile in silence of the grave,
Until each soul is called to God’s judgment –
A Day of Reckoning we undergo.

To God, we pray, do help us pass the Test;
Open your heart of mercy, love, O God;
Ignore our faults and sins of many years,
We knowingly, unknowingly had done,

And plunge into the sea our sinful load;
Reward our righteousness we kept, O Lord;
We dare not miss the after-life – Heaven;
Do spare our souls from fiery Pit of Hell.

O fairest Judge, show clemency on us;
We tried to live the best we ever could;
We sinned a lot and fell in evil snares;
A victim of the Tempter’s ways, we were!

Your love and care did free our soul at times;
We thank you God for kindness shown often;
From dust, you gave us human form through love –
A love that cannot be compared on earth.

Our wisdom is like dust before your eyes;
So spare us Lord from punishments severe;
Remember not our blunders, grievous faults;
The many times we fell, you raised us up.

You were our shield from harms of every kind;
You were our fort in which we took refuge;
If not for Thee, who else can help us Lord?
If not to Thee, to whom can we then plead?

Thou art our Maker and our protector!
From womb to tomb, Your love and mercy came;
Spare us O Lord from rod for sins of past;
We want to enter heaven’s gate surely.

Just say the word, our souls will fully heal;
So, purify our hearts and welcome souls;
May be, we could have lead a better life;
Despite eyes good, we proved that we were blind.

Despite ears good, we failed to hear your call;
We slipped into the Tempter’s bait with ease;
Forgive us Lord our every sin since birth;
We are all vessels weak and cracked when baked.

We could not hold Thine water to the brim;
Nevertheless, we are all pots, you made;
We couldn’t resist the temptations that came;
Time and again, we did forget your help.

O Master God, divine, forgive our sins;
Give us a place in your abode O Lord;
Eternity with you is what we want;
We need your grace to pass the final test.

O God of mercy great and love profound!
Forgive our sins of life today, we pray;
We long to reach the truth and light, your way;
Thy Will be done on earth, Oh, come what may!