A Poem by Theodre Tilton - This too shall pass away

I am overwhelmed with the response received to this poem. I was reading through a book and found this poem in the book. The fine words of this poem touched a deep cord in my heart and I decided to put it up on the net i.e my blog for others to read it and enjoy too.

Just sharing some statistics with the visitors to my blog- there is an average of 2 hits per day on my blog because someone somewhere is searching for this poem!!!! Also this poem, complete in all respects is only available on my blog, nowhere else on the net (I think so). I have tried searching it myself but was unable to find it.

My only request to all those who visit my blog for this poem, please take time and read through the write-ups I have on blog. It is a promise you will not be disappointed.

This Too Shall Pass Away

Once in Persia reigned a King,
Who upon his signet ring
Graved a maxim true and wise,
Which, if held before his eyes,
Gave him counsel at a glance,
Fit for every change and chance.
Solemn words, and these are they;
"Even this shall pass away."

Trains of camels through the sand
Brought him gems from Samarcand;
Fleets of galleys through the seas
Brought him pearls to match with these;
But he counted not his gain,
Treasures of mine or main;
"What is wealth?" the king would say;
"Even this shall pass away."

Mid the revels of his court,
At the zenith of his sport,
When the palms of all his guests,
Burned with clapping at his jests,
He, amid his figs and wine;
Cried, 'O loving friends of mine;
Pleasures come, but not to stay;
"Even this shall pass away"

Lady, fairest ever seen,
Was the bride he crowned his queen.
Pillowed on his marriage bed,
Softly to his soul he said:
Though no bridegroom ever passed;
Fairer bosom to his breast,
Mortal flesh must come to clay-
"Even this shall pass away"

Fighting on a furious field,
Once a javelin pierced his shield;
Soldiers, with a loud lament,
Bore him bleeding to his tent.
Groaning from his tortured side,
"Pain is hard to bear," he cried;
"But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away.

Towering in the public square,
Twenty cubits in the air,
Rose his statue carved in stone.
Then the king, disguised, unknown,
Stood before his sculptured name,
Musing meekly: "What is fame?"
Fame is but a slow decay;

Even this shall pass away.

Struck with palsy, sore and old,
Waiting at the Gates of Gold,
Said he with his dying breath,
"Life is done, but what is death?"
Then, in answer to the king,
Fell a sun beam on his ring,
"Even this shall pass away."

Autum sun, dry leaves and the tree.

The "IntelligentTree" was discovered during one of our holiday's many years ago. My husband and myself had gone to Lonavala, a hill station near Mumbai. There was this tree in the back garden of our Hill resort. Something about the tree caught our attention. It stood tall and barren, without many leaves. At the end of each day, the grass in the back garden of our pent-house Villa would be covered with the dry leaves of the tree. It was beautiful and charming. In the Orange-reddish light of the fading winter sun, a cosmic bond was formed between the three of us-Kaushik, myself and the tree. We would sit gazing at the tree for hours talking about everthing under the sky. The tree fascinated me. Kaushik would ask me why I kept looking at the tree for so long. And I would reply saying that the tree looks very Intelligent as if talking and responding to me. Very amusing, but I was convinced. And so we debated. The two of us. Our debates brought life to the tree. The holiday ended.

Years have gone by since we saw the tree. Busy life. No time to go back and recapture the magic of the mountain and the tree. It all feels very far away. Don't know if the tree is still there. The memory of that beautiful holiday remains carved in our memory. The "IntelligentTree" from the back garden of the far far away hill resort is our own little secret from the world. Work, family, responsibilties take away precious time. No free time to sit and gaze around doing nothing. And life passes by.

Precious seconds of life slip by unnoticed just like grains of sand. How much ever we wish to hold the sand in our hands, it slips by.

The "IntelligentTree" lingered in both our minds, it still is there.

'IntelligentTree' now available on Blogger@google.

This message is for all those who have been visiting my blog 'IntelligentTree' at Blogsource. Please note that Blogsource has shut down its blog service. My blog 'IntelligentTree' is no longer available on blogsource. Unfortunately the content of my earlier blog could not be transferred to this new blog. Will attempt to take time out and re-publish the archieved items. I want to thank all my friends who have supported my blog on blogsource for the past two years.

Please circulate/add my new blog address to your list.


http://IntelligentTree.blogspot.com/