Out In The Wild – African nights © – Part 1 –

I don’t really know and yet maybe my lodge mates Bernie Gabriala Nancy Soniya Ura noticed one night at the Mbuluzi Wildlife Reserve that ‘Tom’ our local Ignala bull drew me away to a moon lit grassy knoll where his friends from the skies rivers trees and plains, fearsome shy great and small, gathered, momentarily, if only that I might listen them.

Here is, so I recall, as they gave their counsel …
“Sovereign, the art of soaring
vast valleys a’plenty
where sun rises and sets
forever enduring
all this you contain

Waters rushing
babbling
protecting
giving
y’ yearnings quenched

No need to hide can not hide
we see what your thinking mind persists
hear what you say that they say
We know who you are
freedom stands

Mountains climbed that never were
gripping maps to near afar old new
guides to empty promises
Heavens beckonings lofty notions
you are those vain wanderers

To the hell realms?
the rotting stench of deprecations
fulfilments’ hungry ghosts
enough for all time
spectres of your making

Here, there
where you are
nor any more heaven or hell than there is now
Nothing to do work resolve
frail yet fo’ bro ‘n sister un-fettered service to you

You are
no need to look again and again
stop
you know the maze masks you not
oh’ y’ are immense beauty

Heart
caring little for right wrong deeds crimes
what may rise fall yet to be lost
Be you 9 or 90, 1 to 101
your cage door springs open. “

My path lit by fire-flys, returning to my lodge in that Swazi evening light, senses awoke emotion spoke like a trusted friend, and,

speaking out in the wild like a trusted friend …

“silken skies
intoxicating moon
radiant, beckoning
caressing our being …

now and in all moments of existence.”

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Quote
‘the art of soaring’ Dolokhov & Gurangov book title
‘Nor any more heaven or hell than there is now’ Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself

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Thank you to William Whitecloud, an explorer, who gave me the way to be writing … I started Out In The Wild whilst at his writers training in Swaziland

Dedicated Part 1, to my lodge mates

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