Diani Beach

Sand

and water

on my feet

tide going out

coming in again

as I walk a shell line

or wade in knee deep

caught in a clouded sky

between heaven and earth

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dVerse prompt on place. I think the beach will always be my place.

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Diani Beach

Kilimanjaro

In space in time I sit thousands of feet above the sea May Sarton

There are many who have come to my three peaks. Shira is my easiest at 13,140 feet, Kibo my highest at 19,340 (highest peak in Africa) and Mawenzi at 16,893. It is not a technical climb but rather a feat of endurance and determination. Do not get altitude sickness or you will fail.

Hemingway camped at my feet. His interest was in hunting and taking trophy, not in climbing me. Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller were the first Europeans to my summit in 1889. Yohani Kinyala Lauwo, a native, and declared member of this summit party, did my summit three times before WWI, once without shoes.

On a clear day you can see my snows from miles away. Come and see my mountain of whiteness. Come and strive for my highest summit Uhuru Peak, Freedom Peak in Kiswahili.

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dVerse prompt to use May Sarton quote in flash fiction. This is flash historical fiction with Kilimanjaro speaking.

Kilimanjaro

Safari

I went to Mombasa

I did not see rain

there is drought in Amboseli

elephants are dying

wildebeests zebras Maasai giraffe

πŸ¦’πŸ˜πŸ¦’πŸ˜πŸ¦’πŸ˜πŸ¦’πŸ˜πŸ¦’πŸ˜πŸ¦’πŸ˜

I went to Maasai land

I did not see a bow

only spears and panga

arrows used to kill

when the loins attack

πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†πŸ†

I went to Maasai Mara

to see the wildlife

thunderstorms on the horizon

got wet in the landrover

viewed a perfect rainbow

🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

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dVerse prompt to use a threesome. My choice is rain, bow and rainbow.

Safari

Baobab

I stopped by the side of the road

witness to a baobab

mighty in age and statureβ€”

to behold such a tree

leaves me gasping

as some have been uprooted

for export

left caged in Kilifi

subject now to law

please protect the baobabs

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dVerse quadrille using the word gasp. I have wanted to see a baobab and this one was fine. In November 2022 export of eight huge baobabs was stopped by the Kenyan government. Now they wait in cages.

Baobab

The Magpies

When just a boy

his Aunt Eva sat at table

playing cards with her friends

they called themselves The Magpies

and he crawled beneath

among their sequoia legs

while over head the squawking

of the birds

At the internment of this aunt

one lone magpie

flew into the small cemetery

as if to say

I am here

I am here

remember me

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dVerse prompt to write a corvid poem

The Magpies

Come Into the Garden

Come

into the garden

at dawn

before

dew dries

from the dragonfly

Come

as the sun

filters

through cedars

to glow

on the rippled

waters of pond

Come

with trowel and seed

energy

to last all day

pluck a weed

don’t forget

to feed

hungry peonies

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NaPoWriMo Day 19 prompt to write a command poem. This is my garden commanding me to get to work.

Come Into the Garden