Life Tree

Life Tree gathers poems by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the scientist who went on to become President of India. The verses open a window onto how he saw the world: with plain living, an eye for beauty, and a steady sense of understanding and compassion toward others.

Love of country runs through the collection. Kalam writes as someone hoping to lift his readers, and he urges them to look past the divisions of caste, religion and language that separate people.

Nature is another strong presence. Some poems read as tributes to the wonder of God's creation, while others turn to family, friends and the bonds between people, handling them in a warm and personal voice.

Taken together, the poems work as a close introduction to Kalam the man, showing the experiences that shaped him and the ideas he hoped to pass on.