Forest Not For Rest Poem by Jonathan ROBIN

Forest Not For Rest



See leaf, no brief, no beef to travel far,
see leaf from tree wind whirled once season spent.
Define priorities! No bite need mar
bark strong. Stand steadfast, tall. Face fate's events
with pluck along Earth's sing-song shooting star.
Trees are not Ents! Who roots ignores, repents
when whistling winds strip branches au revoir.
Trees fight for right to light, none circumvents
canopy challenges.  See trunk's memoir -
seasonal lightning, sapling's accidents -
inscribed in rings' concentric repertoire,
revealed when Time's scythe whets up set descent.
Life's less than ksana's rapid rap. Snap!  Span,
depleted, leaves logs b(l) ogged - tree, lifeless man.


Kṣaṇa (क्षण, 'moment') refers to a unit of time according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXV) .—Accordingly, 'In the time of a finger-snap (acchaṭā-mātra) , there are sixty moments (kṣaṇa) ; in each kṣaṇa, the mind is born (utpāda) and ceases (bhaṅga)

22 June 2021 revised 27 June 2021 and 30 June 2021

See leaf on tree, no need to travel far,
see leaf from tree wind blown once season's spent.
Define priorities! No bite need mar
bark strong; stand sturdy, tall, face fate's events
with pluck along Earth's sing-song shooting star.
Trees are not Ents! Who roots ignores, repents
when whistling winds strip branches au revoir.
Trees struggle to true light, none circumvents
existential challenges.  Trunk's memoir -
seasonal lightning, saplings' accidents -
inscribed in rings' concentric repertoire,
concealed till Time's scythe whets up set descent.
Life's less than ksana's passing sigh, zest's span,
depleted, leaves logs b(l) ogged - tree, lifeless man.

22 June 2021 revised 27 June 2021

Take leaf from tree, no need to travel far,
take leaf from tree wind blown when life is spent.
Define priorities so bite can't mar
bark strong; stand sturdy, tall, face all events
with pluck along Earth's sing-song shooting star.
Trees are not Ents! Who roots ignores, repents
when whistling winds strip branches au revoir.
Trees struggle to true light, none circumvents
existential challenges.  Trunk's memoir -
seasonal lightning, saplings' accidents -
is etched, inscribed within rings' repertoire,
concealed till Time's scythe sets up last descent.
Life's less than ksana's passing sigh, zest's span,
depleted leaves logs - both tree, lifeless man.

22 June 2021

The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary
Kṣaṇa (क्षण) .

1) An instant, moment, measure of time equal to 4/5 of a second; न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि (na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi) Bg.3.5; क्षणमात्रमृषिस्तस्थौ सुप्तमीन इव ह्रदः (kṣaṇamātramṛṣistasthau suptamīna iva hradaḥ) R.1.73; 2.6; Me.26; क्षणमवतिष्ठस्व (kṣaṇamavatiṣṭhasva) wait a moment.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Dr Dillip K Swain 22 June 2021

Trees struggle to true light.... thoughtfully expressed!

0 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success