African Delight!

Goats on hind legs picking leaves form the acacia tree
young boys riding home on a donkey's back with water for the day
military checkpoints for road tax and other dubious reasons
children playing around a giant baobab tree
straw drying in the sun on the tops of branches
the same branches stretching limbs skyward
and like tentacles under the soil
looking for every available drop of moisture


Camels carrying firewood, led by turbaned farmers
buses straining to get over steep hilltops
Bilen women dressed in the colours of the rainbow
golden parakeets and bluejays in a frenzy
women breastfeeding young babies
then attching them to a shamma
and placing them on their backs to sleep
speed is of no essence whatsoever

Live chickens been sold on buses at every available stop
along with hot roasted peanuts
children barefoot running after the wheels
Tigre, Tirganya, Arabic and some English
spoken all around us
while the high pitching wailing music has cajun written all over it
Sun is blistering by eight am
Cactus flowering on the terraced hills

Children staring wide eyed at the untanned new people
books carried home from school on the end of a belt
goats being loaded onto the roof of the bus or underneath
drivers tooting their horns round unseen bends
"Non parlate all'autista"
yoghurt served with honey
friendly smiles form beaming faces
cheroot sticks between gleaming teeth..this is why I came