The crooked tree and the road

There was a road on the ground,

Near the road,

There was a jamun tree—

Actually right next to the road.

It stood slightly raised above the road,

As if the road had been built into its ground.

Though the road was properly made

For the right purpose,

Walking on that road

Was no longer easy.

If you walked without thinking,

There was no assurance

That you wouldn’t stumble.

The sensible ones

Used to go

Past that place—

But carefully.

They knew

The road was straight,

But the tree was crooked.