Africa

This poem is a pantoum.

–

Africa

Deep in the interior, lines of smoke hung over the jungle.

Civilization came in a volley of gunfire.

Our steamer glided past the enigma of the coast,

past a black fringe of trees. Flags flapped above the settlement.

–

Civilization came in a volley of gunfire.

He marked the location of a wide, silent lake.

Past a black fringe of trees, flags flapped above the settlement.

Nowadays, of course, the hotel boasts a generator.

–

He marked the location of a wide, silent lake.

Violent lightning cleaves the skies over Juba.

Nowadays, of course, the hotel boasts a generator.

In the Nuba Mountains, families crouch in rock caves.

–

Violent lightning cleaves the skies over Juba.

Swarms of zebra ebbed and flowed across the blue plains.

In the Nuba Mountains, families crouch in rock caves.

The animals succumb to the nightmare of history.

–

Swarms of zebra ebbed and flowed across the blue plains.

King Leopold ignored reports of rubber slaves.

The animals succumb to the nightmare of history.

Company agents sliced off the rebels’ hands.

–

King Leopold ignored reports of rubber slaves.

Deep in the interior, lines of smoke hung over the jungle.

Company agents sliced off the rebels’ hands.

Our steamer glided past the enigma of the coast.

–

— Jenny Bennett

*   *   *