A mango tree grew and flourished
in the yard around our house
No one knew how it had been nourished
For none had bought it to the house.

Within a few years the tree grew big
And yielded many a tasty mango
That when ripe were quite big
Though how, we don’t know.

The mango tree attracted a lot of attention
At first did come crows, squirrels and parrots,
The whole place became a peaceful situation
Of bliss; indeed so cool and far out.

Next came the street urchins
Throwing stealthy stones over the wall
It only led to house break-ins
Under the pretext of picking the fruit that did fall.

Last but not the least were the neighbours
Educated so called honest folk
That climbed their terrace for the fruit of their labours
With long sticks they did poke

Respectable people who were lawyers and teachers
They found nothing dishonest in stealing the fruit
These people who were morality preachers
Found nothing wrong in plucking the fruit

“It’s just a natural fruit”, they said
“What’s wrong in taking it?”
They asked with consciences dead
Revealing that that they were just faking it.

I watched all this from my room so small
Every summer the mangoes came and so did they
Stretching their hand across the wall
“Why couldn’t they just ask and take?” I’d say.

Created on 22nd February, 2010. Copyright of Suri Ben Noah.