The Imprisoned Life

The imprisoned Life



Only this tree loves me



To myself I told



When I ‘m frail and leave my body



Together we’ll grow old





The wind smashed into the wise cliff faces, who watched the sea with unseen eyes as heavy clouds stunned the sun from the skies. An elegant princess stood against the wind and felt the skies gloom. Tabitha was her name, a strong shadow that faded in the dark. She sat in the arms of a long, wise heart that knew her pain so well. This tree was her safe haven, to whom she told all her secrets and troubles. It sat, lodged into a great cliff that looked over the sea. Sometimes Tabitha would imagine herself jumping off and playing with imaginary figures of happiness, but life was not like that. Reality was sometimes cruel.



Tabitha cared for her kingdom greatly but objected inside to the sacrifices she had to make. Soon she was to marry a man she did not love, it was impossible to be herself and her mother and father did not love her. The king and queen of the kingdom saw her as a necessary component in the land’s wellbeing rather than someone to love. Tabitha had no friends either. Still, she was not alone.

That wise tree was her friends, family and everything she needed. In times of trouble, it would sit there and listen to her every pain. To comfort her, its roots seemed to move in closer and its leaves would brush her face with love.



One day Tabitha’s kingdom was attacked and infiltrated. The enemy tore through her land until they reached the tree, holding her in its arms. As a message, Tabitha was bound tightly to the tree and a verse was pinned so that she could read it until her death, to lose hope-



We have bought this kingdom to its knees



Dismissed their poor and desperate pleas



Now their leader, weak, will die



And at her flesh the birds will pry



As night grew close, the wind stung her face, cold. But she was still warm as she whispered-



“Only this tree loves me



To myself I told



When I’m frail and leave my body

Together we’ll grow old.”



As time passed-



Her bones grew old and sank in deep



To the place, she wished to sleep



A bird flew by and pinched a fruit



And in a garden, grew a root



A young girl sat in her grandma’s garden underneath a tree. Ever since she was born, she had known this tree. Its wise leaves attached to the strong wooden arms that stretched all the way down to its beating heart. This heart was dropped there long ago by a passing bird. It was the centre of its life. It was on this very day that she spoke to the tree.

“You are my only friend. I want to stay with you forever.”

Young and ignorant, the little girl did not fully understand what she said. She was yet to make friends and soon she would want to visit other places rather than the old tree.

The little girl stood up and turned to face it. She froze at the sight that met her eyes. The tree was blowing away. It disintegrated into lightless dust and seemed to dance in the wind as it sang the melody-

Thank you little girl, so strong



But this is not where you belong



You have a loving family



Your love for me has set me free



The dust then seemed to look at her for a second; its form looked like that of a girl. It then floated up into the sky and headed in the direction of the sea. The tree had completely disappeared, but one thing remained. The young girl picked it up and held it in her palm. A small cage filled with dominoes.



A life that could not decide for itself.



As the girl walked inside, she had no idea that she had just cut the chains of a lonely princess, and held in her palm the life she left behind for freedom.