Life's Tussles

After days, nights of heat,
bush dusty dry, thirsty,
waits for the rain to fall.

Dried out river beds,
silky smooth large stones,
seem faded white and hot.

Powdered sand, fine as talc,
surrounds dried up waterhole;
where warthogs dig for damp.

They find some mud to suck,
relieve the agony of their thirst.
Family after family visit here.

Still the incessant wind
blows hot and dry, to parch
the earth of all its wet.

Vultures circle overhead,
eyes stare, searching for
the casualties of life.

All wait for change, for the
rains to thunder burst
and change the landscape.

Once more a green lush land,
where warthogs run and play,
tails upright to point the way.


Bob Blackwell
10 November 2011

T A Ramesh
Typical African picture as seen over Discovery or National Geographic TV channel is your nice poem!

Kesav V Easwaran
I endorse Ralph's views...well crafted write, Bob...the short verses add impact to the drought theme...the 'vulture' imagery is really nice

Ralph L. Jones Jr.
The parched land is a great metaphor for the human soul--all we need is a little rain to make us verdant again.

Ency Bearis
Wonderful poem, with great imagery

Kendzi
Wow! This imagery has a searching quality about it, the quest and thirst for a deeper meaning in life. Or am I just imagining it? Lovely use of words sir.

samanyan
beautiful Bob...great imagery are so very natural

Sandra Martyres
Your imagery is fantastic Bob - I have visited Masai Mara during a spell of drought so I know exactly what you are descring. Perfect poetry

RAJ NANDY
BOB , Life's eternal tussel goes on which you have expressed so wonderfully in verse ! I recall seeing the Serangati Plains of Africa on the Geography Channel & how the parched land gets trasformed after a thunderstorm , teeming with life once more ! Thanks , -Raj

Lynda Robson
A stark contrast in this write Bob, great imagery too,