Odyssey From Africa 5b 6a
They could hear the mighty felines
Running in a line behind them
Han and Kwona and the children
Knew that they were being herded
These great sabre-tooth cat hunters
Were the rulers of the forest;
Now they are no longer with us
They would perish in the ice-age
Then our fleeing human quarry
Reached a dense part of the jungle
Where the forest floor was darkened
By thick canopy above them
They were close now to exhaustion
Pure adrenaline sustained them
Right ahead they heard the splashing
Of a stream of running water
And the sight that next they witnessed
Caused all hope to be extinguished
Facing them across the streamlet
Endboss sabertooths stood waiting
Then a cry went out from Lisa
They all turned and she was missing!
Han and Kwona felt a darkness
Of despair encroach their spirits
It was Kwona next who cried out
Briefly, and was seen no longer
Spinning round in desperation
Han looked all around for Matto
Who was absent; all around him
Pairs of pearly fangs came nearer
Which of these, Han wondered, dreamlike,
Would spring forward to impale him?
In an instant he was rising
Saw the ground recede below him
A huge hand, all black and hairy
Swung him upward by the shoulder
Han was hoisted through the branches
By a silverback gorilla;
Saw around him other members
Of this troop of splendid primates
Not quite sure he still was living
Han then sighted all his family
Sitting near him in the branches
Pure relief and gladness filled him
Down below the cats, frustrated
By their disappearing supper
Lingered round with eyes turned upward
Glinting gold in evening shadows
Then the sabertooths departed
One by one into the darkness
Han and Kwona and the children
Laughed for joy at their deliverance
CHAPTER 6 Gorillas
Han was puzzled why gorillas
Would have intervened to save them
Did they reckon us as brothers,
Distantly related family?
He took care to make slow movements
And avoid direct eye contact
But their pongid hosts seemed friendly
And untroubled by their presence
Now the rapid tropic evening
Had descended into night-time
Several of the female primates
Bade the visitors to follow
Climbing over thicker branches
They were led up to a tree nest
Where the motherly gorillas
Laid them down to sleep like children
With adrenalin subsided
Waves of tiredness came upon them
Peacefully they watched and listened
To the forest night-time fauna
Copyright © Phil Salmon | Year Posted 2017
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