Victoria Falls
Imagine
being Livingstone:
weeks
in thick rainforest,
clammy
claustrophobia,
invisible
vipers underfoot.
Land
falls away,
an
open gash boils
gushing
torrents.
Thunderous
white water
drowns
out word and thought.
Spectacular.
Mind-numbing
mystery.
New
wonder in your Universe.
Where
Livingstone stood is now
remnant
rainforest on a tourist track.
Drought
thinned waters
backdrop
white-water
rafting.
Shouts
drowning in foam,
smiles
for the video
shown
in the bar at 9pm.
Helicopters
swoop
with
clever commentary.
White
water thunders.
Spectacular.
As
special effects in a blockbuster movie.
A
tick on the tourist trail.
(previously published in my first pamphlet Bougainvillea Dancing)
I visited Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in 1991 and 1992 while I lived in Malawi. It's a stunning place, even during the drought conditions of both the years I visited. Even then though, I felt it was overcommercialised.
But look at what they're planning to do now!
***
Just a reminder that the closing date for the Nature Conservancy photo competition is 9 September!
And just to let you know that I've added 'Malindi Beach' a poetry collage inspired by my time living in Malawi to the Crafty Green Etsy shop.
As ever, red text in this post contains hyperlinks that take you to other webpages where you can find out more.
really enjoyed the poem - what a contrast from then to today - and how awful is the theme park idea!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a lovely poem. And the photos are beautiful. Hubby and I would love to see the Victoria Falls. Great post, have a happy day!
ReplyDeleteIt will wind up like Yellowstone Natl Park in the US, so overcrowded they have to limit the number of people because of traffic jams! What a pity that everything beautiful and wild is sacrificed for money.
ReplyDeleteOur local newspaper has a weekly full-page easy-to-read feature about something of interest. A few weeks ago it was Livingston including maps of his travels ... wow - what adventures! Great poem.
ReplyDeleteLove the poem!xx Rachel
ReplyDeleteHi Juliet,
ReplyDeleteMust have been amazing visiting the Victoria falls.
Enjoyed reading the poem
Hugs
Carolyn
no wonders
ReplyDeletewithout wonder
theme park
Intersting, and loved the poem. Just spent the whole weekend at the Environmental Art Festival, and so thoughts about what we do to nature are much in my mind; I'm a cleft stick on so much of this. Mankind, and then civilisation, has continuously altered landscape and ecosystems (never for the better of any species but our own, I suspect) since homo sapiens reached a critical mass, and part of me feels it's difficult to criticise nations that want to emerge into full 'first world glory' when we make such a pig's ear of what we have ourselves. Toughie for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem. Lovely photos of a great wonder of nature.
ReplyDeleteTheme park!!????!!! Oh, dear.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful poem. Sad to think of such blatant misuse of natural beauty. Humans are disappointing sometimes.
ReplyDelete