Balcony tree

 A tree of great heights and reach,

selfishly steals the view,

majestic canopy adorned with flowers,
a sampige tree.

An apartment complex in itself,
sampige’s residents; birds, squirrels, monkeys and insects

 go about their daily lives

chirping, eating , putting together homes

The ecosystem of the tree is undisturbed 

by the ruckus of children in the swimming pool below.
As life goes on, the tree keeps growing
laying claim over soil and sky.

However, this grand conquest is done too well

It’s roots infiltrate the impregnable

constructions of brick and mortar,

causing quite a stir

The need to trim and setback arises

All that remains

Is a branchless mutilated trunk.

You can hear the groans,
not just the tree’s 

but of the tiny little creatures who had a home
in the now lost foliage 

However the tree does not cease 

in time regains its former splendour

I wonder what it thinks when it sees men walk up to it
with steely rusted axes and saws again

I sigh
and watch Sisyphus roll his boulder up the hill again.