South African National Parks (SANParks)

River Life

Sit quietly by the river,
Close your eyes
And smell the air
A journey of discovery
Now leave it if you dare.

The foggy screen hangs limply,
From it’s midst
A darter glides,
It’s heading for the shallows
A shelter where it hides.

The reeds begin to whisper
As the breeze
begins to blow,
The malachite holds firmly
The stem he’s learnt to know.

A sudden splash hails danger,
From the bank
of Sabie River,
The amber eyes betray it,
Jacanas hitch a ride.

With silent steps, a bushbuck
Strides gently
From it’s cover,
Sensing that it’s safe to drink,
He turns t’wards his lover.

Small circles on the surface
Tell of fish
That dance below,
Their life so very different
From one, their rivals know.

The rumpus from the forest
The squealing
And the chatter
The swinging from the tree tops
Joyful monkey matter.

A piercing yell is stirring
A sound which
Seems to echo,
Beyond the bend there’s ructions
Certain to be hippo.

The sounds of life abundant
Impala….
Nothing barred
A leopard stalks and pounces
Killing one off guard

The chilly dawn is warming,
Sun’s up
The river flows.
Sustaining life around it
No matter where it goes.