AFRICA Odyssey: Poetry on Safari—3
June, 2006, I went on safari—an opportunity of a lifetime. While the camera clicked, so did my mind. I’d not "wordscaped" (escaped with words/written poems) since my book, Poetic Wisdom: Revealing and Healing (1998). But, patrolling the bush by jeep, the urge returned full force. I saw no other way to jot down experiences of the moment, treasures not to be forgotten. Though I took too long to type up these poetic souvenirs after the trip ended, the delay has had advantages. On review, this poetry puts me back in the moment—that moment—seeming to stand the test of time. Now, I’m curious to know others’ responses to it…
My first group of poems, written in Bostswana, were posted in this blog’s February 6, 2007 entry. My second group of poems were created in Zambia and were posted in this blog’s April 22, 2007 entry.
This final group of poems were created at different stages of the trip. The first four consider the transition from safari/vacation to "regular life" and what’s going to be missed. The last two show the importance of congenial travel companions—especially on safari—and what can happen when they’re distracting/ed.
1. Bush Perfumes
Bush perfumes
I miss you
Rosemary, Sage, and more
The breathing clearly
The feeling soothed
The energy not usually felt
Bush perfumes
I miss you
Along with the sands
And other sensual treats
You can’t bring home in a photo
Hippos, frogs, lions, monkeys
You made my nights more interesting
Your wallowing, croaking, crying, or screeching
I’d take them anytime
Horns, brakes, sirens, alarm bells
And the odors that accompany them
Aren’t a fair trade
Nature versus manmade.
2. In the Moment
Beyond past, present, or future
Appreciating the now
Open to the wonders of how
Giving distance to hurts
Grounding self
Not anxious to go back
Navigating the trivia co-travellers remind me of
Savor the privilege and power of "here"
And happy I can take it "there."
3. Heat on my Face
A perfect place and space
Hard to travel away
Really want to stay
A vacation that will feel like a dream
In a week, that’s how it will seem
A vacation you don’t want to have end
The hurts of reality start to mend
And then you’re back
Will things be the same, or different?
An energy to take away
Please, please, let the magic stay
The heat on my face as reminder
Please, please, please, seeking an everyday that’s kinder.
4. Escort
After dark
And even by day
You’re encouraged to have an escort
Anyway
In the bush you never know
Which predators lurk
And, if you’re from other parts
They can come at you, fast as darts
But, in the bush, with or without escorts
I never had fear
What would be, would be
The animals weren’t really after me
Back in the city, it’s another matter
There’s a lot of patter
Anxiety in the street and at home
It’s not any easier or safer to roam
Escort free, there’s only me
…and I never feel free.
5. Two Safaris
The terrain is clear
As the American gals near
From nature there’s a lot to learn
But some never will
Nature’s gifts aren’t only animals
They’re environmental too
But, it’s rush, rush, rush
Missing the changing shapes and colors of the land, sky, and flora
We’re first, we’re fastest, we’re the best
Everyone else "sucks!"
A group dominated by phobias, fears, and follies
Child-like women without their material crutches
Issues better left at home
But they bring them here
A world apart, for which they show little heart
Bitter, competitive, damaged
They think they have a point to make—always
But the animals don’t want to hear
Co-travellers neither
The cackles and colorful clothes
The vying for attention
A sacred experience tarnished
By she whose nails are varnished.
6. Shopping Mad
On and on and on
From game to gain
Bargain to bargain
Contagion in the group
Quite a troop
Some start slowly
Others copy
Some haggle
Others pay full price
Everything, right now, is nice
Bags bursting
New bags bought
How to ship?
No worries
Tourists in flurries
Weight and size restrictions no longer matter
Very welcome commercial patter
More and better
More and cheaper
Special or not
Most buy a lot
The closer to departure
The greater the activity
Sensation
Desperation
Back to materialism
Competitiveness
Oblivion
The magic of the trip eclipsed
Commercialism might have it nixed
A few carefully selected souvenirs, or greed
Whatever it is, the journey home has begun.
p.s. For more recent African Poetry, please check out blog entries about DocSusan’s Kilimanjaro Cimb (9 poems) and Tanzania Safari (16 poems). The two new series were started December 2, 2007.
