The One

By Pratham Agarwal

Among the thousand or so thin lil’ green ones,

there stood one little dark firm oddity.

He spoke a gibberish that no one could perceive

and thought the thoughts that none cared to receive.

Morose as he was for being odious,

Unable to sway with the winds freely

He only stayed tied up in belts

and couldn't loosen up, like everybody else.

He kept growing taller and stout

cursing his luck and crying about

all the while wondering around

why he was different from the rest of the crowd.

He could see above all the rest,

and could stand resolute during storms.

but the little things that made sense to him,

sadly didn't fit any of the norms.

It seemed to him all of a sudden

futile to try to be the same

‘I cannot change the path I've been given', he said

And endured bravely the laughter and shame.

And once he had accepted this,

he went on to grow like no other.

The laughter changed into awe,

And he stood upright among the stars.

He held his head up high

and looked toward the infinite sky.

feeling ecstatic to be so much more

for nobody had ever done that before.

And all the pain that he had been put through

felt like it was worth it after all.

Never had he thought he was the gifted one,

for being made so Immense and tall.

And so the mighty big tree lived on wisely

For hundreds and thousands of years,

providing shade to all the lil’ ones

who had made him shed all those tears.

By Pratham Agarwal