WHEN THE TREE CAUGHT FIRE

 When the tree caught fire

All the birds flew away

It was but natural that

They had to fly away

But one sparrow

While about to move,  turned back 

She nurtured a thought in her mind

She felt as if leaves of the tree are

Its thousand eyes

Looking at flying birds.

Nearby was a pond

Filling water from pond, in her beak

The sparrow started sprinkling the water

On that burning tree

A traveller passed by

The sparrow narrated to him

Fire of the tree will not be extinguished

By my beak-ful of water

Still, I think 

Whenever, history of the forest will be written

My name will be mentioned as one

Who put efforts to put off fire

And upcoming generations of these trees will say

When we catch fire

Most of scared birds fly away

But some return to us.

After listening to the sparrow

The traveller, too, started

Sprinkling water on the tree

One after another

More and more travellers 

Reached the spot

And thousands of birds too returned

Holding water in their beaks

It is known that fire of

Burning tree extinguished

During some next season

From the burnt trunk of the tree

Tender green leaves sprouted

As if green words scribbled on

Some black page.

That tree had become symbolic of hope

Like a lyric of gratitude and faith.

My mother had narrated me this episode

And told 

Never deem yourself as weak

Never deem yourself as alone

If ever, a tree catches fire

Fly once

But return

Holding water in your beak

Recalling that sparrow.

MY ENGLISH TRANSVERSION OF PUNJABI POEM   RUKH NU  JAD AG LAGI OF SURJIT SINGH PATR