Wednesday, April 11, 2012

WORDS CURSE.





It takes much time to kill a tree
Yes, 30 days in all,
That’s all.
For a tree, it has taken years
To sustain,
To grow,
To branch out and
To spread deep its roots.
Housing generations
Of birds and insects,
Providing food and shelter
Or just being there – stoic.
Yet, it takes 30 days in all
To kill a tree, that’s all!
No chopping, no sawing
Just yell, swear and curse
Hit where it hurts
Show your superiority with words
Potent enough to crush
Even the strongest.
Use words that kill...The Spirit!
All it takes is just words...
To kill a tree.

(The first line of this poem is taken from Gieve Patel’s “On Killing A Tree.”)

The tribal of Solomon Islands have a unique or a bizarre ritual. When they want to clear an area of the forest for cultivation, they do no cut trees. For 30 days, the local Shamans go to the selected tree and curse, yell and swear at it. The tree surely does fall dead after 30 days.


For - NaPoWriMo 






dVerse - Open Link Night
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37 comments:

  1. GeetApril 11, 2012 at 7:11 PM

    all the best !! nice1

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  2. Preeti S.April 11, 2012 at 8:09 PM

    A captivating write. The concept sounds familiar and you have conveyed the idea so well in your words. The parallel with the human world is obvious and easy to make out. Brilliant work.

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  3. ClaudiaApril 11, 2012 at 8:53 PM

    heck...if you can kill a tree with words in just 30 days, how quickly you can kill a human being with words...makes for a great metaphor and is a good reminder to use our words wisely..

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  4. Brian MillerApril 11, 2012 at 9:09 PM

    i have heard of this experiment...pretty crazy huh...and yet we sling those words at others far too often...

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    Replies
    1. JANUApril 11, 2012 at 10:18 PM

      Have to choose words carefully. Thanks Brian.

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  5. kaykualaApril 11, 2012 at 9:11 PM

    Great thinking went into this! Great write!

    Hank

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  6. ayalaApril 11, 2012 at 10:22 PM

    Wow, a great write!

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  7. Jannie FunsterApril 11, 2012 at 10:38 PM

    Wow, never heard of yelling a tree to death.

    AWESOME poem!

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  8. TamekaApril 12, 2012 at 12:06 AM

    Wow! So many meanings in this poem. A tree could also be a person. This one chilled me to the bone for a few reasons. Thanks also for the Shaman history. I want to learn more.

    http://lyricfire.typepad.com/lyric-fire/2012/04/lyric-fire-napowrimo-2012-day-11-of-30-poems-in-30-days-a-tumbleweed-rolling-.html

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  9. Martha Jane OrlandoApril 12, 2012 at 12:11 AM

    Such an interesting fact - that yelling/cursing at a tree can kill it just as negative words can slay us inside. Beautiful juxtaposition of these two, Janaki!

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  10. Mary Hudak-Collins livingthescripture.comApril 12, 2012 at 12:47 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. Mary Hudak-Collins livingthescripture.comApril 12, 2012 at 12:48 AM

    Wow...at first reading your poem, I begin to think you were referring to how words can kill another's confidence. But then, I read at the bottom about the tribe and clearing trees. So, now I am confused.

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  12. BongoApril 12, 2012 at 12:51 AM

    WOW...If our words can hurt us and others so profoundly .. then surely they hurt the tress to....As always...XOXOXOXO

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  13. The PoetApril 12, 2012 at 1:10 AM

    Hello Janu.
    Words can indeed be very powerful. When spoken in anger and hate, they can crush the soul and when spoken with love, they can melt a frozen heart. fascinating post. Thanks for sharing.

    Jewels Of Darkness

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  14. MaryApril 12, 2012 at 6:14 AM

    Wow, if this is the case, it is amazing. Words are more powerful than I had imagined, or maybe it is the people who are using the words who are powerful!

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  15. AnonymousApril 12, 2012 at 6:31 AM

    Strong words here, Janaki! If you didn't kill a tree you put a hurtin' on something! ;p Loved this, I like your prompt.

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  16. AlejandroApril 12, 2012 at 8:18 AM

    Tolkien would be impressed... well written Janaki

    A

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  17. Jessica MApril 12, 2012 at 9:24 AM

    Isn't it ironic how illusions can have such a hold over us...Words can be so crushing, to spirits...and yet they only hold the weight we give to them.

    Great poem. :)

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  18. Manisha BhatiaApril 12, 2012 at 10:54 AM

    I never knew this seriously, what a bizzare way to kill the tree and d funny part s dat it works!

    This was quite different!

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  19. photos by janApril 13, 2012 at 7:21 PM

    I liked this piece, tree or man, words can kill. We as humans can at least resist and fight. The tree must stand and listen.

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  20. Arvind PasseyApril 13, 2012 at 7:27 PM

    More than just a series of interesting words woven into pulsating ideas... this is a poem that anyone would want to read twice.

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  21. sulekkhaApril 13, 2012 at 10:03 PM

    Janaki, amazing tale of cruel words. Words do hurt all...

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