I Was The Guest and He Was The Honor
Meeting my first Silverback gorilla
Many hours in the Rover
Crossing landscapes
Roadside towns and fields of tea.
***
Oh the turning heads and big brown eyes
Tattered clothes
Carrying siblings and holding hands.
***
Thrills of sighting distant elephants
Flights of birds I’ve never seen
And endless variations of brightly colored flowers.
***
From the lowlands of rolling greens
Towards the skyline hills
Fresh air cooling as the sun is setting
Clouds settle on the valley floors
And we climb onwards.
***
At last the daunting forest front
Thick and dark
Home to our closest kin
All reasons to shed my fear
And share my grin.
***
The village life extends up to the iron gates
Small and friendly
Relaxed and unafraid
Creating life through trade and farms
Enough for all to thrive
Food abounds from rich volcanic soils.
***
I am here to face one clan
To find myself among their gaze
Hoping for a gesture of relation
Maybe just one pose
To my elation.
***
I will be the guest
And they will be the honor.
***
We come from far away
And pay a price that may surprise
It trickles down through the hands
Intended to protect
And build a kinder future.
***
The records say they’re thriving
More babies every year.
***
To this end
Even the Pigmies had to flee
And live among the civil
Breaking all tradition.
***
Uganda has awoken
And knows its national treasure
The Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi
Our DNA
Our family
Our love.
***
Gentle Sleeping Beauty
Dark and damp the dawn was breaking
Small birds began their song
Chill was in the air
A candle lit the room
Warmth under my covers
Cozy by design.
***
For those whom life are lovers
This day was born.
***
All things were placed and ready
Aligned with ease and grace
Thought through
Fixed and tried
Comfortable and protective.
***
With sun comes thirst
And rains make mud
Fire-ants and stinging plants
All of this a great distraction
Down to the last detail
Tuck it right and tie it strong.
***
We were five assigned a guide
That made us six
All women carrying sticks
Plus the look-out scout
Up in the lead
A true ranger, rifle in his grip.
***
Should we cross with lonely giants
Forest elephants
My breath and thoughts would vanish
Inaudible vibrations under foot
Signals turned to trumpets
Sounding clear
Unmistakeable to the listener’s ear.
***
We began in the morning hours
Leaves were wet
Plus some mud
And then more stones
All reasons to beware.
***
Swift in a sunlit silence
With expectations for the best
We were told
All signaled by a finger
One must move and not be heard.
***
Up and up another hour
The followed trail became a ridge
Stops to rest and drink
And let the group convene
How much further
Could one wonder.
***
To where our gentle friends
Had spent the night.
***
Guides have their helpers
All starting in the dark
Moving from the last location
Looking for a camp of leaves
Then to track
Where had they gone
By way of broken branches
Eaten foliage and fresh droppings.
***
Radioed to bring us forward
Thus the hard work done
Yet a promise kept
Of meeting eye to eye.
***
The pace quickened over lofty vegetation
Tromping, squashing
Excitement releasing
Renewed anticipation.
***
At last a whistle call
Beckoned us to a clearing
There the scout stood to post
All packs and sticks to stay behind.
***
A helper guide appeared
Greeted by a nod and smile
In his low voice
Told us
Say, hello
In the hoot of a gorilla
You have now arrived.
***
To my surprise and disbelief
Kindly, I do not speak gorilla
Just make a low grunt from your belly
Please announce yourself
It’s only natural
For the kindred ones.
***
Listen.
***
Listen.
***
Moving forward
Just where I walked
Off to the left
He appeared
Belly to the ground
At last I’m in his presence
No where to take my thoughts
Only vacant introspection.
***
Anything could happen
Although I bared no fear
Wide open looking
Immensely close and unprotected
Time slowed to a stop
Grace had filled the air.
His black fur, soft and clean
Lying in a turtle pose
Chin perched on his hands
The silver hair a-glistening.
***
Dear God
Is it you?
Napping I supposed
Sleepy gaze
Big eyes half open
Then drawing to a close.
***
I wondered
Who was dreaming
And
Who was dreamt.
***
(Photos taken with my iphone XR)
Kimberly Hampton Nilsson
November 2019
Thank you for reading.
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