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Odyssey From Africa 14e
CHapter 14 King Ptoleny the 2nd (cont.)
Thus they charted weather systems
Grey depressions bringing rainclouds,
Towering dark cumulonimbus,
Or the violent storms and cyclones
And in turn this processed data,
One or two days’ weather forecast,
Spirited across the island
By the network of the flag-towers
So the fishermen at harbour
And the farmers on their holdings
Could employ this precious knowledge
By it gain success and safety
(And this network of the watch-towers
Spread much more than weather data!
News and gossip from the palace
Added to a growing chatter)
“Come and see the weather center”
Then King Ptolemy continued
Leading Han toward the palace
With his retinue of warriors
After mounting up a staircase
Out they walked into a chamber
Saw at once the large map table
Ringed about by several scholars
Who were studying intently
Fabric sheets and wood-carved objects
Bearing symbols rich in meaning
Spread around the large map surface
“Let me introduce our scholars:
This is Anwat, this is Jobas”
And the wise sagacious servants
Greeted Han in courtly manner
“I can see you men are busy;
Let’s move on to our next chamber”
And the monarch led Han further
To an even larger hallway
Han beheld a world of wonders
And was breathless with amazement!
This was a museum of life forms
Creatures, birds and plants and fishes.
All along one side were cabinets
Fronted by bright glass, displaying
Well preserved, in life’s true colour
Specimens of plants and animals
Many thousands in their number
From the smallest to the largest
Tiny bugs with moths and beetles
With a myriad flowers and orchids
Comet moths with four false eyes and
Lizards, butterflies and spiders
Many of the mounted life forms
Were endemic to the kingdom
Bloated red tomato frogs and
Brightly pigmented chameleons
Stripy tailed and bright-eyed lemurs
And the little spiny tenrec
Labelled each with written symbols
In an alphabet and grammar
That the scholars had developed
For the first time on our planet
Han was startled by the quirky
Aye-aye with its melancholic
Eyes and long and slender fingers
Used for prying bugs from tree-bark
And the predatory fossa
Catlike hunter of the kingdom
But the most impressive creature
Dominating the exhibit
Taxidermed with loving skill, there
Stood the mighty Aepyornis
Glaring down upon the chamber
From a height of three full meters
Copyright ©
Phil Salmon
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