Tuesday, 13 October 2020

the old is dying before the new is born



dry season comes suddenly

in the savannah

though the egrets would have known

and left the cows behind

the duikers would have known

and followed the smell of the river

the wolves would have known

and followed the jumps of the duikers

the cows will wait for the herdsmen

who does not know the seasons 

have changed and the rains will be late

the rains are too late

for the grass that has flowered

to have new growth to cover

the withered stalks broken

by the weight of the grains overweight

from the previous season where the rains

too were overweight.

the old grass is dying

and the herdsmen do not realise it

they wait for the new grass

that should come in the season

even though the season

has followed the river

like the wolves have followed the duiker

and the duiker who  followed the river

as it withdrew slowly back under the caked soil

dry season comes suddenly

to the savannah that cannot run

and the clouds that shade the sun

have left with the season

leaving the sun free to bake the soil

and kill the old grass

before the new is born.

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