The Poet I Am Poem by Phillip Nine Mafunga

Today I sat there in the quiet of nature
Reminiscing about the beauty of life
How the old tree that stood before me has seen time swing by
As her leaves whistled carols and danced rhythmically in the soft winds of time
How she withstood the anger in the tempest that threatened to uproot her
Emerging gnarled and hardened by the experiences of growth
Leaves of longevity shed painfully and dry
Purple and auburn tender leaves sprouting in their stead

How she learnt to spread her roots deep and wide in search of water
With age the bough toughening with every passing season
Still she stands firm
Still she stands firm even as the poet I am watches in great awe
Wondering how she ever survived the axe
Maybe her bark is too bitter for the elephant's taste buds
Nevertheless, she still benchmarks the spirit of resilience
Proud of having helped to populate the forest!
PHILLIP NINE MAFUNGA
(An adaptation from poetic remarks by dear friend Ernest Namate)
27 October 2020