Rain Trees, Bedok South

image by dsnake1


On a stretch of avenue leading to my workplace is a long row of old rain trees growing by the roadside. In hot weather, these majestic trees provide welcome shade to anyone walking under their canopies. Their trunks and branches are home to ferns, creepers, chameleons and lizards.

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Rain Trees, Bedok South


I have passed this road
       countless times,
where the rain trees stood
like ancient sentinels,
walked in the shadows
of their giant arms,

but have not seen
them
       flower
             like this,

splashes of pink
lacing their leaves,
as painted by Matisse.
all these years
they brooded

and today
finally
       they
           smiled.


13.3.06

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the image is a scan of a pencil drawing of a rain tree in the Botanic Gardens, Singapore.