The Autumn

There were fruits and flowers on this tree,

Stones came from children

As if showers of flowers!

What a shadow! What a wall!

Many a tired and stricken,

Many a lovely and the sad,

Stopped here for a while and then moved on.

As if it was the path mark.

They stretched here

With youthful excitement,

With sweet smelling breath,

With wild gossips,

Came and sat under the shadow,

Chattering.

But as the autumn arrived

Neither children, nor the older ones

Nor the tired traders anymore.

In a matter of days,

They will come with hatchets

The Urdu version