As mighty oaks grow from tiny acorns
so from tiny streams great rivers are born
unknown, of no consequence, it takes birth
in Mwiniluenga it springs from the earth
Nyami Nyami is its ancient spirit
The Bundu love, respect and revere it
Its rightly called 'the river of life'
its gifts of food, water, transport, are rife
Through rapids and flat lands it meanders
Through six forested countries it wanders
Gurgling over rocks, languid over plains
A treacherous foe when swollen with rains
As lazily flows its blue expanse wide
Wildlife drinks along the banks on each side
lone maribou, eland and nyala
drink thirstily sable and impala
Its lavish gifts given, its duties done
It flows to embrace the mighty ocean
A life begun insignificantly
Culminates its course magnificently
Author notes
Hi I commented upon
Olivia
taffeta
and
Boy
by you and
My Africa
by masterblaster
Written August 27th, 2004
In a list
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1 - 20 of 20
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A beautiful poem Pari. You paint such a gorgeous scene and with excellent rhymes as well. The background is breathtaking! You have a fabulous piece here! Best wishes and
s ~genielassie~
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Ah...beautiful! I loved the last two lines. Very nice imagery all through out the poem. Goodluck in the contest!
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The picture you paint with these words is breathtaking. It is a wonder to learn of the landscape of another country. I feel like you have taken me to sit along the banks with the wildlife. Very soothing are the moods that are captured with each stanza of this surreal poem. Stunning imagery evokes so many things from my imagination, most especially since we just got dumped on with 13 inches of snow in the last 6 hours. LOL
I love to look at the snow but still have some shopping to finish for the holidays. I went out to brush the snow from the car and stopped midway and said, "forget it!" I'll finish tomorrow, God give me strength.
Great poetry as usual my sister. Be blessed!
Renee
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Wow really descriptive. I'll bookmark your African poems.
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You have very good way of despcribing my homeland makes me wonder where u are from ...
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Pari,
Your background is beautiful. It matches perfectly. I enjoyed this poem mostly from the educational level. I think my favorite line was: Its lavish gifts given, its duties done
It kind of wraps up the poem for me. Great job, Pari!
Cheryl
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what a very good piece of writing! i am seeing those crazy round trees that don't ever die, the ones that look like they were planted upside down... very potent imagery.
Ghengis Khan. -
You write nature poems so very well, Pari. 'Through rapids and flat lands it meanders/Through six forested countries it wanders/Gurgling over rocks, languid over plains/A treacherous foe when swollen with rains' This is such good poetry! Nicely written... Thank you. Helen
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"A life begun insignificantly
Culminates its course magnificently"
Beautiful lines. Like the River, we have no control on how our life begins but we can control its course and make the end as magnificient as that of the River.
Krishna -
Hmmm! A mighty mélange of clichés, growing from a tiny source… And flowing to the ocean it’s hard work done – just don’t tell the tax department, they’ll find away to take thirty percent! It’s a river Pari – it doesn’t ‘work’ it flows downhill, floods when overfull and muds when empty… it doesn’t grow, but aggregates, and doesn’t even get a break for holidays! Or wear comfy slippers at home!
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Very Good, It tis, it tis.
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This is a river beyond imagination to most - her power and life-sustaining grace make her the main artery to the heart of Africa. When she floods her banks, the scene is breathtaking. A beautiful piece that captures the essence of the queen.
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this is a beautiful place, I love the subtle personification of the river-and the description of how it helps the communities-and how they worship it!
This is both a beautiful and educational pie e of writng. Thank you for sharing! -
So beautiful as the first one! I really loved the sights this poem contains as well the spirituality its involves. Green and wild images complement the delightful read!
Kisses and love,
Mari
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I love rivers, they have a life of their own. Changing every moment, yet stil holding the same pattern, years and years. Unpredictable, yet history lets us know they do repeat. Pictures are great, and the picture you painted with words is even better.
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Very reminiscent of Hiawatha, minus the strict rythms. The general current of the words was easy to fall into, and from there it finished a bit rough, but it was fun to read nonetheless. Good work
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excellent poem
Wow... you really do feel your nature write, your reader cannot help but be right there alongside you in your imagination.. you have put so much emotion in something that obviously means very much to you and that is why your poem comes across so very well, especially do I love the contrast you make in your third stanza
Gurgling over rocks, languid over plains
A treacherous foe when swollen with rains
a fantastic write, I shall make sure to come here and try and find any more you have on this theme... cant get enough of such good material.. well done! ~Katie~
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this is beautiful i love the diverse themes of culture and nature you show in your poems they really open my oves to the world around me and the worlds ive never seen.....keep up the good work.....b3l
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