By Ramya Lakshminarayanan
Under the ice apple tree's gentle shade,
A little girl's laughter and joy were made.
Summer holidays with grandparents so dear,
Unlocked her dreams, and her heart was clear.
She crafted sand Shiva-lingas with devotion and glee,
Strung flowers together, wild and free.
A goddess in her own right, she'd decree,
Her creations worshiped by you and me.
Each morning's sunrise brought her delight,
As she'd run to the backyard, shining bright.
Her passion drew passers-by
To witness a toddler's joy, untainted and rare.
Years passed, and summer holidays remained the same,
Until a cousin's careless step brought her pain.
A shattered creation, tears that wouldn't cease,
A sorrow that lingered, a heart that would freeze.
But in the silence of night, a vision appeared,
A promise to rebuild, her sand creation so dear.
The next morning's sunrise brought a wondrous sight,
Her creation rebuilt, shining with new light.
Twenty-nine years later, on a journey so free,
She found herself drawn to a tree's serenity.
A book and a picture were handed to her with a smile,
The same image from her dreams, all those years in denial.
Life's journey took her far, but memories remained,
The book lost, but the story refused to wane.
Twelve years later, the book reappeared in her sight,
A reminder of promises, a heart that still held tight.
Today, at forty-eight, she's found her way back,
To the little girl's laughter, the joy that wouldn't crack.
Under the ice apple tree, she sits in peaceful delight,
A heart renewed, a soul revived, shining with new light.
The ice apple tree's gentle shade,
Now witnesses a woman, with a heart no longer afraid.
She's found her purpose, her beauty and her gold,
In the littlest of things, her story to be told.