I awoke with a burning desire to give life,
to birth into the world a treasure.
An incarnation of my will to keep growing,
To defy the norm of living for the here and now.
To keep making a difference even when I'm gone,
So I planted an apple tree.
For the children to play in the branches,
To give fire wood in the winters,
A windbreaker in the storms
Shade in the hot summers,
Roots for the healer to make elixirs
Fruits for the young women to sell,
Wood for the young men to build houses,
And when the tree is no longer,
There will still be;
a stump for Grandpa and Grandma to sit on.
-Inspired by Kiito Shilongo
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem