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“SANParks: A Journey of Discovery…”

To journey, you have to be born,
you have to travel paths of everyday survive,
to a complete and destined life.
A life beyond mere map, as Africa unfolds in blue and green,
where lion, rhino, buffalo, elephant and leopard can be seen.
And all over peculiar animals of less known part,
river fish, ocean whales and great white sharks,
move to wind and tide, seagull screech and song of lark.

Through mankind ages, quests to reach poles,
places, peaks, ultimate depths and inner soul,
footprints long faded, celebrate the paths of everyman
and mark the ways to safeguard that which we can.
And as you move in journey with South Atlantic sea breeze,
that in whisper captured cold Antarctic freeze,
you might pass the seals and penguins of Robben Island
and find the promised land…

Inland from Saldanha Bay, indigo Langebaan Lagoon lays,
facing majestic Table Mountain and Cape Town Bay.
Where seabirds roost on island and golden beaches
that stretch into cold of mist and marshes.
And onwards stretch the beauty and allure
as the Langeberg Mountains and Breede River unfurl.
And the Garden Route and Wilderness escape,
snake through estuary, forest, mountain and lake.

And beyond the Cape Floral Kingdom flourish,
and winds trail through forest and tranquil river burrows,
among song of Knysna lourie and kingfisher sorrows.
And afloat beside dolphin and sea creatures frail,
are shimmers of a Knysna seahorse tail.
And memories in lagoon ripples unfold
of centuries of trade in timber, ivory and gold,
of mariners in wreck and Khoisan voice in pictures told.

And find Tsitsikamma where crashing Indian Ocean pounds
through rocky shores, forest, fynbos and ancient river paths.
Where dolphins frolic and fish feed,
and the Southern right whale comes inshore to breed.
And as Addo elephants roam Sundays River Valley shadows,
a black-backed jackal howls,
the francolin calls for new dawn
and flightless dung beetles awake in dewdrop morning yawn.

And in Bankberg plain and valley embrace,
Mountain Zebra over Caracal footprint sway.
Paths form that show the way,
where buffalo, black rhino and wildebeest among eland roam
and hartebeest, gemsbok and reedbuck hoof drone.
And roving through Camdeboo and Karoo plains
lies the Sneeuberge and the Nuweveld towering range
and the Valley of Desolation with erosion strange.

An beyond the dust in scramble
black rhino, buffalo, zebras and springboks amble,
and Karoo tortoises tow in search of succulent coral aloe.
And lizards and Klipspringers basks in warmest sun
while suricates and mongooses run
to feed on spider, centipede and leggy Toktokkie chum.
At times the only sight, the blue sky
and a lone black eagle in flight.

Under star studded nights, quiver trees and granite outcrops,
by magic, a tapestry of radiant colours can be behold,
along the winding roads, as Namaqua Spring unfolds.
Butterflies, porcupines, birds and long-tongued flies hover
as baboons tip over rocks for scorpions among flowers.
The Richtersveld keeps aloes, and a rich desert flora drape,
with miniature rock gardens, perfectly designed by nature,
that cling scarily to cliff faces in small but definite stature.

And tiny succulents revel in the moisture brought
by early ‘Malmokkies’ fog, from cold Atlantic Ocean caught.
Kgalagadi red dunes and dry riverbeds capture infinity
and wildebeest, gemsbok, springbok and eland stay innately.
Camel thorn trees shade giraffe, buffalo and black-mane lions
and host vantage points of leopard and raptor minions.
And from river, the Augrabies Waterfall storms, in great hum
through Moon Rock, Ararat and Echo Corner run.

And beside Kimberley is Vaalbos, with Rhinos and Teessides.
And nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti Mountains
lies Golden Gate sandstone, Brandwag and Ribokkop cliffs,
keeping vigil over sandy drifts.
Here roam wildebeest, eland, blesbok,
oribi, springbok, Burchell's zebra and bird flocks,
the rare bearded lammergeier vulture
and rare bald ibis cultures.

An then the grass hills and valleys of the Waterberg hems yellowwood and cedar tree, cycads and tree ferns,
and elephant and rhino stampede
among Cape vulture call and squeak.
And Mapungubwe wildlife and birds hover
in Limpopo and Shashe River tree cover,
and eagles soar high beyond neighbouring sky
over where rainforest insects cry.

And at journey’s end lies the majestic Kruger Park,
the crown that life experience and protection mark.,
Unequalled in diversity and elation,
a monument to people and all animal liberation.
And in between every mentioned place
is other places of beauty and grace.
The long stretches towards the Wild Coast
and other parks that rare breed and crocodile boast.

All these special places, you will have to find in time,
as your journey leads you along paths sublime.
And under new moon you will find, own paths and spirit kind,
and that lonesome howl and yawn of a soul to journey reborn.
“Ringing out from our blue heavens
from our deep seas breaking round.
Over everlasting mountains
where the echoing crags resound ... ”

And our journey might never become complete
as people in new discoveries, become entreat.
Through mankind ages, quests to reach poles,
places, peaks, ultimate depths and inner soul,
footprints long faded, celebrate the paths of everyman
and mark the ways to safeguard that which we can.
An as long as those that care breathe,
God will conserve mankind’s bequeath.