The Upside-down Tree

By luigi_pagano

Fri, 06 Dec 2019
  • 942 reads
6 comments
 
Baobab is at the end of its tether;
a thousand-years-old and feeling its age,
exposed to all kinds of weather,
used, abused and taken for granted.
 
It has kept baboons and warthogs
well fed with its succulent pods
and its hollowed interiors provided homes
to countless reptiles, insects, bats and frogs.
 
In its huge branches weavers built a nest
and in its cavities barn owls roosted.
It is no wonder that the baobab believed
that, of all trees, it was the best.
 
Proud to be called “the tree of life”,
it once stood upright and erect,
boasting of its own superiority
and claiming to be uniquely perfect.
 
The gods soon heard of this insolence
that upset the arboreal community
and decided to punish such arrogance
by uprooting the monkey-bread tree.
 
Then they replanted it upside down;
a move that the plant didn't expect.
Now it complains to all and sundry
of vilification and lack of respect.  

 

© Luigi Pagano 2019
Certificate U
Poem
Mutevoli pensieri
Nature

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Gosh! Luigi,

I'd never heard of the Baobab tree before. How sad that this tree should go through that much trauma, especially when its so old and been a home to many creatures.

What a great tale and told so poetically.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Dear Jenny,
I am a collector of what my wife calls 'useless information'..This poem came about when I read a news item that a baobab tree had died or was in danger of doing so and that it was unusual as those trees lived for thousands of years. While researching this particular plant I found mentions of myths and legends about it, one of which was the one I used.
I imagined an old baobab tree as a grumpy old man in the Victor Meldrew's manner.
Pleased you liked the tale.

Luigi xx

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

your fun poem made me look up baobab trees, they do have lots of myths don't they? I really like the wealth of beneficiaries of the tree you list. The baobab deserves it's title Tree of Life

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

The title Tree of Life could not be more appropriate, Di. Its qualities are remarkable.
I was quite surprised by the number of legends surrounding it and I hesitated before opting for the version I finally used.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

You're right it does look like an upside-down tree Luigi! Great poem, the eternal beauty of Africa, so harsh so alien so ancient so familiar. A lovely poem the rhyme and rythm is easy and fluent. The story too, and quite convincing.

Keep well you should come visit! Tom

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Your comment is much appreciated Tom. Thanks.

Best wishes, Luigi