Falling Leaf

I was once green and resided so high,
Breathing in the sky and waving to the birds passing by.
I used to float in the air, attached to my petiole,
All happy and easy felt my lucky soul!

I was fresh then and looked inviting,
Every nightingale perched on the branch I was on.
They used to hum a song so enchanting,
Whenever they passed me during the dawn.

I had so many friends, always there next to me.
We danced together whenever the wind blew free.
I was the special leaf of my Mother Tree,
Who loved my dance the most in the fair breeze.

I was so pampered, I was highly loved,
It was only I whom every relative served.
With time I grew big and prettier,
And the love and attention I got made me happier.

But slowly and gradually I started to lose my charm,
I started turning yellow and pale.
I was so shocked and alarmed -
I tried everything to protect myself but failed.

I lost my colour, I lost my beauty.
I turned brown, patched and ugly.
I was diseased and I became weaker,
I felt someone cursed me to appear putrid and meeker.

I started to lose my friends and birds also ignored me now,
My tree diverted her attention to other leaves that were still fresh.
I saw no one who could help me recover,
Those who saw me simply dashed.

That breeze in which I used to dance earlier, plucked me.
I parted from my base and started to fall down by gravity.
There were tears in my eyes and anguish in my veins,
But no one bothered about me or appeared sane.

I did float in the air as earlier,
But the difference was this time I had no life.
I was no longer joyous or happier,
As I knew I would land on the sharpest knife.

My actual life is so like my imaginary leaf –
It will also ultimately rest in immense grief.
I’m neither on the top nor have I reached the bottom,
But I’m falling, falling towards the dark destination…