TANZANIA Safari POETRY Continued (4): Poems 6, 7, 8 (of 16)
Poems 6, 7, and 8 describe experiences in the Ngorongoro Crater area, where wildlife was more sparse and a slight safari-fatigue was manifesting. (Please don’t forget to check out the other Tanzania Safari Poetry blog posts before and after this one.)
6. Safari—Day 4
Into the crater we go
Flat topped Acacias
Then burnt brush
Followed by a nothingness
Hush, hush
An arid plain
Wind blowing
Few animals showing
A solitary ostrich struts her stuff
Finally a photo op.
No fears
Two old lions peruse
One ready to snooze
The other leaves to wander
Has us gazing yonder
A couple of bull elephants take a drink
"They’re old," our guide tells us
That this is a retirement area, it makes us think
Today, the energy’s not there
Day four, our expectations higher, for more to see
But that’s not reality
The Serengetti had us in another place
A faster pace
Multiple herds
More than just a trace.
7. Monkey Picnic
Monkey picnic
Very slick
Jeeps move in
Monkeys too
Closed the roof too late
Monkey in
Monkey out
No time to hesitate
Monkey see
Monkey do
Cookies from the front seat gone
Greedy monkey eats every one
Other monkeys surround
No contest
He knows how to play the round
And soon the pack is gone
Working each hand
He makes a stand
A snarl as the camera nears
Really upped my fears
Bold male
Cannot fail
Young mother near
But away they steer
Tiny babies suckle
One of nature’s wonders
We chuckle.
8. Afternoon Drive
Look and you shall see
If it’s meant to be
Pressure on to find a Rhino
Or, to let it go
An on the way, so much more found
By chance
Hyenas, Flamingos, Wildebeest abound
From a distance,Rhino finally spotted
Photos taken of profile
Though not close
Of excitement provides a dose.
