Odyssey From Africa 1b 2

But the mood of celebration Lasted only for a short time Very few returned to thank them Han and Matto found this puzzling Chapter 2 BLOOD MOON Through the days and nights that followed Spread a mood of dark suspicion Talk was heard of secret magic Knowledge gained from evil spirits Kwona first discerned the danger Friends and neighbors acting coldly Quick she organised the family Gathered items for a journey Scarcely had they left their homestead In the shadows of the sunset When they heard the angry shouting Of the mob which joined against them Sad at heart they fled the village Leaving house and boat behind them Ran for safety through the darkness Into the surrounding scrubland Han expected that a full moon Would illuminate their footsteps But although the sky was cloudless The bright moon was strangely absent Then they saw the red penumbra Round a moon that was occulted; Slowly the eclipse receded To reveal a shining crescent Growing wider and in brightness Filling back its full bright circle But this baleful apparition Lent an air of eerie strangeness To the roaring of their senses As they fled for mere survival Passed through land which, though familiar Harboured menace in the darkness After several hours of running When the night was at its deepest Coming to a leafy hollow Han raised up his hand to stop them And they rested there together Lisa, Matto slept exhausted Han and Kwona taking turns to Stay awake alert for danger When the rising sun awoke them Cold reminder of their exile Kwona and her daughter Lisa Hurriedly prepared a breakfast In the haste of their departure They had gathered mere essentials Han had his stone-bladed hatchet Kwona took some food and clothing After eating roots and berries With some dried and salted fishes They continued on their journey Following the coastline northwards "Are we far enough away now?" Asked the children of their parents "No", they answered, "we must travel Far to find a land of safety" Leaving bush and trees behind them On they travelled over grassland Vast and flat in all directions With the ocean to their right hand As they crossed the miles together All around the same horizon Han and Kwona, without speaking, Glanced from time to time behind them Resting night-time on the grassland, With the dawn they journeyed onwards; As the sun descended westward They perceived ahead a river