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The glorious lioness once basked beneath the tree
Revelling in her kingdom, all that she could see.
Mighty herds of zebra wandered through the plains
Grazing on the high-veldt’s all-abundant grains.
Proud and noble cheetahs streaked along with flying claws.
Light-footed antelope fled their glistening silver jaws.
And the eagle gazed over this with his piercing eye.
Watching from his airy perch built into the sky.
The buffalo baby staggered onto fragile little feet.
Then ran beside his family as all began to eat.
The huge but happy hippo, a heavy, clumsy beast,
Continued his contented life of uninterrupted peace.
Monkeys played at snowballs with orange, peach, and plum.
Baboons beat babies’ bottoms like a minuscule blue drum.
And the eagle gazed over this with his piercing eye.
Watching from his mountain nest raised up so high.
Victoria’s cascade tumbles in a veil of pure white.
Causing all surrounding turf to sprout up fresh and bright.
A dozen rolling grassy hills softly dip and flow,
Then they slide gently back to the tranquil plateau
Acacia, Mango, Baobab—proud, firm and tall they stand
Grant shade and food and refuge to each creature in the land.
And the eagle surveys the countryside with his piercing eye.
Claiming all his territory with his stately cry.
Beneath his flight, impoverished, this lovely land now lies.
Gazing on the destitute he wails his mournful cries.
A valueless pile of rubble, a mound of rot and rust.
This “House of Stone”, Zimbabwe, crumbled but to dust.
The trees are slashed, the beasts are slain, the Falls are left alone
Even man, for all his might, must starve, bereft, alone.
The pride of Zimbabwe gazes, tears in his piercing eye.
Upon the land, so bountiful, that evil has sucked dry.
Author’s note:
This poem is set in Hwange, West Zimbabwe, a bountiful region including a nature reserve of world renown, and near to the famed Victoria Falls. The park has been decimated by the economic disaster in the country, and most of the animals have been slaughtered for food. This is but one of the catastrophes that has impoverished this truly beautiful land.
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