Urban Forest

One lone Ficus stands tall between two equally high buildings in the neighbourhood. In the midst of balconies and mosque minarets, this singular tree becomes home to many birds and tiny creatures that migrated to the city years ago. The sun is shining cheerfully on the wings of a bright green parrot this morning. The dew from dawn has made the tree twigs damp. Leaves have a slight shimmer against the light rays. A busy squirrel bounces across a bough, almost as fast as the squirrels that my heartbeats have now become! She hurries by for reasons vastly different than mine!

The black spider is a strong-willed architect today. He weaves an elegantly symmetrical web, almost similar to the web of dreams still awake on my relaxed eyelids. Today is a particularly fresh day. Crisp and clear, almost like my mind frame. Sometimes, lofty clouds of usual worries float along, almost similar to the white fluffy ones that are gliding past the top branches of the Ficus.

Certain Mr. M has left his bicycle against the thick peeling trunk of the tree. But our only Ficus will gladly become a bike rack for the season and participate in urban life… as much as he likes to look after all the beings living inside, beside and upon his spreading limbs.

I feel pleasantly happy this morn. As happy as the singing cuckoo, hiding in the canopy layers of the deep green foliage. That must be why I noticed her triumphant song on this lovely January day.

The sparrows are now gossiping about their noisy neighbour. It’s almost time for a quick nap and she won’t stop singing!

Some lanky branches gently caress the lit up window ledges where a pair of doves snuggles in chilly winter breeze. I hear their twin cooing echo along the shaded pavement as I quietly drift away from this urban forest with one tree!!

…far until the lively sound is lost to a soulless city noise.