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| Toolika Rani |
Toolika
Rani
The Eye of the Storm
(Based on the picture titled ‘The Eye’ by
Marjorie Pezzoli, eminent silk artist-poet from the USA)
Concentric circles etched on the stem of the tree
Indicate the number of
years it has lived
Nah, the storms it has
endured, actually,
The winters it has
survived
And the summers it has held
the blazing heat of the sun
On its bare back,
To provide shade to those
who stood beneath,
And now, with the years
of experience
It warns the passersby of
the storms impending,
It senses the change in
the pattern of winds
Way before they reach the
shores
Crushing them with all the
fury they had long amassed.
It sways its head left
and right,
The leaves trembling;
Hark, hark O blind!
Run home, run home, hurry!
A storm is approaching in
a flurry.
The circles around its
eyes can see
Straight into the ‘eye of
the storm’
Causing havoc on the
peaceful earth.
With all its might it
stands its ground
And fulfils the promise
made to God
A tree was born to
shelter
And shelter will it no
matter what.
***
Poet’s Profile: Squadron Leader (Dr) Toolika Rani is an ex-Indian Air Force Officer, Mountaineer (Everest Climber), Motivational Speaker (twice TEDx), Bi-lingual poet, and Assistant Professor of History. She has authored eight books i.e Beyond That Wall: Redemption on Everest, Sherpas of Solukhumbu, English poetry books tilted The Song of the Sky, A Wild Flower, and Thus Sang the Bluebirds, and two Hindi poetry books. She has edited an Anthology on Himalaya- The Mountain was Abuzz.

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