We have seen vegetation crumble;
Even the greens of Sahara go south
Towing with it our life-giving earth
Spreading tentacles of drought
Upon man who knows only profits
I walked ahead of time
Beyond those warm blankets
Of trees and sunny forest,
Listening to Nature speak
With hope, I gladly seek
When the green neighborhood dance to the call of the wild one
Dark are the skies; darker even are the clouds which stalk the rain
The wind came swift and slow; rushing at times as petals of flowers dance
To the music of the coming rain; to lullabies that made heads bounce
And to the Forest people, to the clans that inhabit the wooded lands
A rainmaker was awake, perhaps trying his skills or yet just being mad!
***
The lightning draw bizarre images across the dark firmaments
Causing the trees to look like knights with forks on the footpath
Silhouettes of mud huts stood motionless in the fiery wind surge
Exposed to danger: the rainmakers ire, the villagers, try to hide
The day turns to night; seeking shelter is the new song for the hamlet
When the rainmakers strength leaves him or his tools* spent,
He lets the strong breezes to rest on the call of the wild one*
But they wait on they that had mastered the rain antics
Note: In Africa, some people are capable of making rainfall. Most of these people are traditional doctors; those referred to have access to the wisdom of ancient life and spirits.
Tools* the rainmaking tools of the rainmaker, which comprises natural things like leaves, herbs, and other concoctions.
Wild one*: the rainmaker and the wild one are the same person or can be the source of the rainmaker’s powers.
In this lovely piece from Franklin, my Nigerian friend, I could hear the echo of my voice. Well written poem.
The sound of hooting owls
The chirping of the crickets at night
The calm breeze that massages my skin after a hectic day
The acrid smell of harmattan
The torrents of rain that make musicals beat on my roof
The euphonious dawn chorus of the morning birds
The roaring of the thunderstorm
The sun rays piercing through the windowpane
The various ways nature inspires me
Africa’s Youngest Nation
The Republic of South Sudan got its independence in 2011, making it the most recent sovereign nation globally. It was formerly an autonomous region in the Republic of Sudan. Shortly a war broke out within the country as rival power groups battled the government.
In 2011 it was reported that South Sudan was at war with at least seven armed groups in 9 of its ten states, with tens of thousands displaced. The fighters accuse the government of plotting to stay in power indefinitely, not representing and supporting all tribal groups while neglecting development in rural areas.
Independence and Tribes
On July 9, 2011, South Sudan became the 54th independent country in Africa, and since July 14, 2011, South Sudan is the 193rd member of the United Nations. In July 2011, South Sudan became the 54th country to join the African Union.
Dinka is the largest ethnic group, Nuer the second largest, the Zande the third-largest, and the Bari the fourth-largest of South Sudan’s ethnic groups. They are found in the Maridi, Yambio, and Tombura districts in the tropical rainforest belt of Western Equatoria, the Adio of Azande client in Yei, Central Equatoria, and Western Bahr el Ghazal.
National Parks and Conservation
South Sudan has a mainly rural and subsistence economy.
The country’s protected area of Bandingilo National Park hosts the second-largest wildlife migration in the world. Surveys have revealed that Boma National Park, west of the Ethiopian border, and the Sudd wetland and Southern National Park near the border with Congo, provided habitat for large populations of hartebeest, kob, topi, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, and lions.
South Sudan’s forest reserves also provided habitat for bongo, giant forest hogs, red river hogs, forest elephants, chimpanzees, and forest monkeys. Surveys began in 2005 by WCS in partnership with the semi-autonomous Southern Sudan government revealed significant, though diminished wildlife populations still exist. That, astonishingly, the massive migration of 1.3 million antelopes in the southeast is substantially intact.
Habitats in the country include grasslands, high-altitude plateaus and escarpments, wooded and grassy savannas, floodplains, and wetlands. Associated wildlife species include the endemic white-eared kob and Nile Lechwe and elephants, giraffes, common eland, giant eland, oryx, lions, African wild dogs, cape buffalo, and topi (locally called tiang). Little is known about the white-eared kob and tiang, both antelope types, whose magnificent migrations were legendary before the civil war. The Boma-Jonglei Landscape region encompasses Boma National Park, broad pasturelands and floodplains, Bandingilo National Park, and the Sudd, a vast area of swamp and seasonally flooded grasslands that includes the Zeraf Wildlife Reserve.
Capital city
Juba is the capital and largest city. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of Central Equatoria State. It is the newest capital city with a population of 525,953 in 2017.
Languages and Religion
The official language of South Sudan is English, but there are over 60 indigenous languages, most classified under the Nilo-Saharan Language family; collectively, they represent two of the first-order divisions of Nile Sudanic and Central Sudanic.
Religions followed by the South Sudanese include traditional indigenous religions, Christianity and Islam.
Natural Resources and Tourism
The economy of South Sudan is one of the most oil-dependent economies in the world. Despite being endowed with bountiful natural resources, including very fertile agricultural land and vast livestock, including millions of cattle, sheep, and goats. Political instability, poor governance, and corruption continue to hinder development in the world’s youngest country.
South Sudan exports timber to the international market. Some of the states with the best-known teak and natural trees for wood are Western Equatoria and Central Equatoria. There are teak plantations located at Kegulu; the other, oldest planted forest reserves are Kawale, Lijo, Loka West, and Nuni. Western Equatoria timber resources include scuba trees at Zamora.
One of the significant natural features of South Sudan is the River Nile, whose many tributaries have sources in the country. The region also contains many natural resources such as petroleum, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, and hydropower. The country’s economy, as in many other developing countries, is heavily dependent on agriculture. Some of the agricultural products include cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, and sesame.
South Sudan has the world’s second-largest animal migration. It, therefore, is considered the right place for ecotourism. Still, the lack of infrastructure for tourism and civil unrest are considered the challenges for the tourism industry in South Sudan.
The Mischievous Tortoise
Do you ever wonder why Nnabe, the Tortoise, is always portrayed as a mischievous personality in tales? You are not alone. Sometimes I try to understand the nature of this fictitious character, how he reasons, and why he acts the way he does. I even ask why this animal was picked to serve as a villain, and still a wise person.
This folktale is widely told in West Africa. I remember hearing it severally. I have also listened to another version of the race between the Tortoise and the Dog. Now pay attention to the story, and I will like to read what morals you have learned. Ifochakpi! Waaa!!
The Tortoise and The Rabbit
Nnabe, the Tortoise, and the rabbit was chatting when the Tortoise suddenly declared, “I bet I can beat you in a race.” The rabbit was stunned for a minute. He wasn’t sure he heard his friend correctly. “Did you say something about a race?” He asked. The tortoise elaborated, “Yes, I challenge you to a race, and I want all the animals present to witness your defeat.”
This cracked up the rabbit; he started to laugh. “This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard,” he said. “It will take you many years to cover the distance I can run in one day. It is silly to race against you. Everyone knows that I will win.”
But the Tortoise won’t have that, he pleaded with the rabbit until he accepted to race, and a date was fixed for the race between the two.
The day of the race came, and several animals came to witness the start of the race. There were also several animals waiting at the finish line.
The race began, and the rabbit hurried away, eager to get the race over with. The rabbit still thought it was ridiculous to be competing against the slow Tortoise in a race. But what the rabbit didn’t know was that the Tortoise had positioned his cousins along the race path while he waited near the finish line.
As the rabbit turned the corner around the forest path, he saw the Tortoise walking ahead of him. “What?! This is impossible!” he exclaimed. “How did you get here?” he asked.
“Though I stroll when I run fast, I run so fast you don’t even see me pass you,” Tortoise relatives replied. “Impossible!” Muttered the rabbit as he ran ahead of that tortoise.
The rabbit started to run faster. As he turned another corner in the forest path, he again saw the Tortoise walking ahead of him. “How did you get in front of me again?” He asked.
“Though I stroll when I run fast, I run so fast you don’t even see me pass you? Tortoise’s relatives replied as he slowly walked along. “Impossible!” Muttered the rabbit as he ran past the Tortoise.
The rabbit started to run even faster. Again, he turned a corner and saw another Tortoise walking ahead of him. “Oh, no! This cannot be happening,” Thought the rabbit as he ran past that tortoise. He wasn’t going to stop to talk anymore. He tried to run even faster but he couldn’t because he was getting tired.
Then, as he turned the corner to run the last stretch of the race, he saw Tortoise walking across the finish line ahead of him. “Impossible! Impossible!!” He yelled, but the Tortoise was declared the winner of the race.
Without forgiveness, love is not true
Letting go of the past is one of the hardest things to do in life. Forgiving people for their wrongdoings are even more challenging.
But what makes forgiveness such a fundamental virtue? For any man to go far in life, he has to inculcate the habit of forgiving. Indeed, people may cause unbearable suffering or pain to others but letting things go speeds up quick healing. The life history of Mandela is an excellent example. Bitterness prevails when there is no forgiveness. Grievance itself is a joy-killer; it seizes happiness whenever one gets to meet the offender and contributes to health problems!
Disappointment and grieving are part of life. Learning to live with them helps. One delightful thing about forgiveness is that it frees the soul. If you ever found yourself with an unforgiving attitude, it’s time to change because nothing lasts forever.
If you try to make people forgive you, and they won’t. Let go, forgive yourself, and move on.
Let go of everything today. It’s a sign of maturity and divinity. The fruits of forgiveness are exceedingly sweet.
If you choose to make friends with a pig, you must be prepared to live in the mud.
The kind of friends we keep affect us and sometimes we are not aware of this. The pig here represents a dirty animal that loves to wallow in the mud. This is an anglicised version of the saying: Show me, your friend, and I’ll tell you who you are.
It is said in the Scriptures that “Evil company corrupts good manners.”
Video of Wedding Day By Brenda Fassie – my favorite pick.
Brenda Nokuzola Fassie was a South African anti-apartheid Afropop singer, songwriter, dancer, and activist. Affectionately called MaBrrr by her fans, she was sometimes described as the “Queen of African Pop,” the “Madonna of The Townships,” or The Black Madonna. Her bold stage antics earned a reputation for “outrageousness.”
She was born in Langa, Cape Town, on the 3rd of November 1964 as the youngest of nine children. She was named after American singer Brenda Lee. Her father died when she was two, and with the help of her mother, a pianist, she started earning money by singing for tourists.
When she was 16 years old in 1981, she received a visit by Koloi Lebona. As a result, she left Cape Town for Soweto, Johannesburg, to seek her fortune as a singer. Fassie first joined the vocal group Joy (filling in for one of the members on maternity leave) and later became the lead singer for a township music group called Brenda and the Big Dudes. She had a son, Bongani, in 1985 with a fellow Big Dudes musician. She married Nhlanhla Mbambo in 1989 but divorced in 1991. Around this time, she became addicted to cocaine, and her career suffered. With very outspoken views and frequent visits to the more impoverished townships of Johannesburg and songs about life in the townships, she enjoyed tremendous popularity. Known best for her songs “Weekend Special” and “Too Late for Mama,” she was dubbed “The Madonna of the Townships” by Time magazine in 2001. In 1995, she was discovered in a hotel with the body of her female lover, Poppie Sihlahla, who had died of an apparent overdose. Fassie underwent rehabilitation and got her career back on track. However, she still had drug problems and returned to drug rehabilitation clinics about 30 times in her life. From 1996 she released several solo albums, including Now Is the Time, Memeza (1997), and Nomakanjani. Most of her albums became multi-platinum sellers in South Africa; Memeza was the best-selling album in South Africa in 1998.
On 26 April 2004, Fassie collapsed at her home in Buccleuch, Gauteng, and was admitted into a Sunninghill hospital. The press was told that she had suffered cardiac arrest but later reported that she had slipped into a coma brought on by an asthma attack. The post-mortem report revealed that she had taken an overdose of cocaine on the night of her collapse, which caused her coma. She stopped breathing and suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen. Fassie was visited in the hospital by Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela, and Thabo Mbeki, and her condition was front-page news in South African papers. She died aged 39 on 9 May 2004 in the hospital without returning to consciousness after her life support machines were turned off. Her family, including her long-term partner, were at her side when she died.
Fassie has won five South African Music Awards: Best Female Artist and Song of the Year in 1999, Best-selling Release of the Decade and Best Song of the Decade in 2004, and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. She has also won three Kora Awards: Most promising Female Artist of Africa and Best Female Artist of Africa in 1996, and the Jury Special Award in 2001. She was voted 17th in the Top 100 Great South Africans. Her son Bongani “Bongz” Fassie performed “I’m So Sorry,” a song dedicated to his mother, on the 2005 Academy Award-winning movie Tsotsi. In March 2006, a life-size bronze sculpture of Fassie by artist Angus Taylor was installed outside Bassline, a music venue in Johannesburg.
When summer finally came, a lot had changed
The last snow melted, and the sad land woke
Grasses started growing, covering the outer earth
So those who burrow scrambled out from the dust
Soft airs and tidings surround the mountainside
Sending sweet emissaries around the valley below
Vines, myrrhs, mistletoes, and pines sprout happily
In the morning, the sunshine will not glitter on ice,
Instead, the heat grew, and the wood inhabitants felt it
First, the Squirrels thought the world was going crazy
And their cousins, the burrow rats, seconded them
‘The frog choir will soon resume,’ a brown Cricket observed
‘And if they do, I am going to go crazy!’ a Sparrow replied
‘Not if they played on a softer note at least.’
A Linnet added to the conversation
‘No way, they have all got bass! Male, female all bass!!’
A sad Bee, which sat on the tip of a tree leaf, answered
Now, fresh grass brought the Deers and mountain goats
At the Otherside across the rocky land, the Stream flowed
Leaps of water, joyful that her prisoner had let her free
‘Crap! I mean, did anyone notice that the cats are back?’
Some stray mice broke the niches silence
‘They have our land smeared with urine, them Bobcats!’
‘Yes, they think it is their fatherland. Well, we better hide.’
Now the wolf pack had no cold anymore
So they stalked the earth with more ease
Picking trails of rodents through the thick woods
The Mountain stood, usually a still, motionless figure
One that kept some admirers intrigued
As the ice melted, water trickled down to the land
And the wildwood fauna felt sad for her
For they believed she was weeping at her loss
‘She has been like this since the Ice King left,’
The soft-voiced black and white Pigeons sang
‘She is heartbroken! Why will the Ice King be so cruel?
He even took her icy cloak and see, how she is naked!’
A duck said, closing the eyes of her young with feathers
‘I think she looks pretty amazing, so much joy in pain
No one cares much enough, and I think she needs a hug.’
A tortoise with a colossal shell opined
‘No, she needs a gift,’’ the Wolf pack alpha barked
‘She is the worst person I ever met!’ he added
The other animals had to retreat to their home
The darkness gently enfolds us
Rugged up against the cold air
“Stay together”, says our leader
“We don’t want anyone to get lost”
Entering the dark mysterious woodland
Torches lighting up the way
“Look over to your right”, she instructs
Her beam focuses on a bird
Asleep perched high up.
A Boobook Owl flies silently across
Our path gazing quietly at us
Its large eyes shining brightly
And peacefully flies into the night
Our lights catch a pair of possums
Feeding on the Eucalyptus leaves
I like how the moonlight creates
Silvered open areas and shadows
Dark black and eerie to me
I imagine fairy folk dancing
In the open patches to a strange tune
My attention is directed to a Koala
Slowly climbing out on a limb
It calmly stops and reaches for
A bunch of leaves and starts to munch
Bats fly in the sky above us
A large moth flutters in the lights
This is a beautiful and serene place
The moonbeams are like searchlights
Between and through the foliage
More sleeping birds and possums
Looking upwards and seeing
The starlit sky beyond the foliage
The moons rays slanting bright
The moths and bats are engaged
In a deadly battle as they flutter by
The night air is icy cold to hands and face
We hear a crashing in the shrubs nearby
The lights catching Kangaroos bounding away
Disappearing into the surrounding darkness
All to soon the walk is over
All agreeing that it was worth it
Going into the cold night air
It’s time to return to our cabins
Thanking our guide we go
Saying goodnight to all
It hurts to let go, but sometimes it hurts more to hold on. To heal your wound, you need to stop touching it.
A professor entered his classroom with a glass of water. He raised the glass of water. Everyone in the room expected the half entry or half full question. Instead, to everyone’s surprise, the professor smiled and inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?” The answers called out for the range from 8 Oz to 15 Oz.
“I need to weigh it to know how much exactly it weighs. But the question, I want you to answer is – what if I held the glass up for a minute?” asked the professor.
“Nothing,” the students answered unanimously.
“But what if I hold it for an hour?” asked the professor.”
“Your arms will start aching,” answered one of the students.
“You are right! But what if I held it up for a whole day?” The professor asked further.
“Your arms will feel numb, your muscles get stressed, and it may even, get paralysed,” ventured another student,
“You are right! exclaimed the professor. “So what should I do to avoid the pain?” asked the professor.
“Keep the glass down,” answered a student.
“Exactly!” said the professor. He continued “In all the cases the weight of the glass remains the same. But, the longer I held it up, the heavier it becomes. The stress and worries in life are like a glass of water. If you think about them for a while, nothing happens. Think about them for longer; they will start hurting. Think about them for even longer; you will feel stress and be paralysed.”
The problems of life do not cease till death! But, it would be best if one did not carry the stress long enough that it begins to ache and paralyse one’s life.
It is essential to let go of your stress! Let go of that worry and anger against those who hurt you! Let go of bitterness and unforgiveness.
Story culled from ODM.
Freedom sometimes does not come free.
Gained My Right of Way
Reminiscing on my primary school days, I would say I didn’t have much interest in the games provided for school kids. I was not too fond of the swing. I had no joy in rocking back and forth on a piece of the metal seat and rusty chains. The merry-go-round was my worst nightmare! I threw up each time I swiveled in it. While other kids were having fun, I had to look for a way to make myself happy. I decided to play with ants, grasshoppers, and any living thing that I saw in the grass. I studied insects and even took them home. My school term reports fondly read: “Always playing with living objects…” On one occasion, I recall causing a commotion in class when some of my pet ants escaped from their matchbox cage.
I started high school at a very young age. Most of my classmates were much older. So I was relatively puny, and this made me an easy target for bullying. As an introvert, it wasn’t easy to relay my experiences to my parents and teachers. Again I tried to focus on playing with living things and avoided much interaction with people. I wasn’t the only puny student in class then. The bullies always had us on their menu. Each time I saw a boy or girl bullied, I felt it could be me, and indeed, I became the next target. This feeling made me want to end all sorts of intimidation and oppression around me.
In high schools there are cliques, you know the big boys and the little boys. There’s always a kind of cabal and groups of interests. When a school kid joins a group, even if it’s the losers, he is less likely to experience bullying. I made friends with some little boys, but that didn’t stop the bullying completely.
One day, I stood talking to a friend when a boy gripped my neck from the back. He was trying to choke me. I broke free during the struggle. The boy messed up my school uniform. The stained and rumpled uniform got me furious, but the boy couldn’t apologize as he always thought I would run away. He pushed me twice, and I never can say where the courage came from – I landed the first blow!
“Oh my!” My mind started, “You’re dead!” I’m not used to fighting, but I knew if I don’t fight, this guy could kill me. Didn’t he attempt that when he grabbed my neck? I was in a self-defense situation. Memories of what I suffered in the hands of bullies flooded my mind; this pushed me to fight harder. Luckily, we were separated and punished by older students. In a few weeks, I walked the school compound with such boldness that all the bullies avoided me. The boy I fought eventually said hi after some months, and we became friends. Even though I took the worst hits that day, I managed to gain my freedom, and since then, no one dared bully me nor my friends.
We don’t need physical strength to fight for or defend other people’s rights. We need to be bold, to speak up, and stand-up, even if it means walking alone on thorns to get things right.
Now I’m a youth; I still keep this attitude with me. I can’t and won’t allow oppression, intimidation, or victimization whatsoever and wherever.
I believe dialogue is the best way forward.
Let me start by saying that no government, because of her privilege of power, should exercise extreme force, especially where there are options for dialogue.
I remember reading about the events that took place before the Nigerian war. The Federal Government of Nigeria and Biafran authorities were summoned to Accra to find common ground. Though the crisis still happened, there were initial negotiations and talks. If not for heady leaders, the violence could have been avoided.
In the Ethiopian case, that’s different. Tigray rebels took an army base located in their region; this is the exact reason for the federal government to start bombing. The Tigrayan authorities have expressed interest in dialogue, but the central government won’t have that.
Ethiopia is gradually slipping into civil war, and the central government denies this because it has the upper hand. I’m yet to see why it’s essential to use aerial bombardment when he had rejected calls for dialogue. Interestingly, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received the peace prize in 2019 for his role in restoring peace along Ethiopia’s border with Eritrean. If he genuinely is a peacemaker as he seems, I wonder why he is bent to use force in Tigray. Tigray is 6% of the total Ethiopian population, and the landmass is one of the smallest. Abiy has clearly shown his resentment over Tigray’s leadership. He has started a humanitarian crisis and should be held responsible. Why would he reject calls for dialogue? The African Union and all democracies should ask him why he turned off the internet in the region—no more mincing of words.
Local militiamen from the Amhara region alongside the federal military now participate in the onslaught against Tigray. What makes the central government think that these militiamen won’t band up against it in the future?
What is currently happening in Tigray is a massacre, typical of Africa’s power-drunk leader’s who think that force is a better option than dialogue. It could happen to Zambia or Mali, or Bangladesh. The number of internally displaced people continues to rise each day, and Ethiopia’s neighbors are receiving refugees as this senseless violence rage on. Innocent people bear the brunt; more civilians are killed daily. The African Union should act before Ethiopia’s heady leaders destroy this beautiful African nation.
Prepare to be amazed by what you are about to read. I decided to write about this excellent weightlifting beetle because of the sheer strength it demonstrates.
Yeah, the dung beetle feeds off other animal waste, and it’s common to see them roll it across the countryside with such force that one can’t help but wonder.
Have you ever seen one work on cattle dung? They are fast and love to mind their business unless you want to steal their meal.
Many may be disgusted by their menu preference. I mean, it’s a free world, and someone needs to take out the dung. They do us a lot of favor. By burying and consuming dung, they improve nutrient recycling and soil structure. Mind you; these incredible creatures dig and bury dung a hundred times their size, and this happens without machines! They also disperse seeds present in animal dung. So when you encounter a dung-rolling beetle, you should give it the right of way.
A dung beetle is not only the world’s strongest insect but also the strongest animal on the planet compared to body weight. They can pull 1,141 times their body weight. This is the equivalent of an average person pulling six double-decker buses full of people. Now that’s some good muscle work! 💪
FLY
Fly little bird
Through this sky of whites
I want to watch
The green wings, flapping.
Fly high, even higher
Like the bar-headed goose
Your bod- blithe
As I kiss the Jasmine
Hugging from the sky.
BABIES
With them I sit-
The people of
Rainbow raiment.
They tune in
Jillion tunes
Sketching a heart
Just for me.
A trice without
Them is a blain in my globule
For they are
Honey bunches I can’t do without.
No change at all
Nothing changes here. Even the nationwide protest that took many young lives didn’t solve much. I wonder what can change the mind of our leaders if the death of protesters won’t.
Each time I travel through this blessed state – I see nothing new; it’s heartbreaking that amid plenty, we can boast of nothing. I sleep most times on public transit, but today will be different. I decided to see what the so-called best governor in Nigeria is doing, so I carefully secured a seat close to the window to get a better view. The roads, as usual, are in a state of disrepair and an apparent death trap for commuters. Unworthy road vehicles still blast dangerous fumes as they ply about. At a point, raggedy road safety officials look on hungrily. There’s an environmental protection agency, but they are available when it involves their fee drive.
Apart from the tender palm tree shoots, nothing new emerges here. And lest I forget, it’s only in Nigeria that roads and bridges are built over a decade, and teachers owed salaries beyond a year in government guise that there’s no money. In Nigeria, these are tools of politics and propaganda. The tools aim to keep the masses under the leader. These wicked leaders forget that the populace pays schooling fees, rent, rate, and feed too. The worst is that as the cost of living rises, even the (seldom paid) salaries remain constant and in some cases reduced. Some leaders and their cabinet are wrong economists, and I wonder if they have qualified advisers at all. Do you see why there’s a regular increase in out-of-school children and a high unemployment rate? Is this not very shameful?
Sometimes I wonder what spurs the Nigerian leader on. How can one preach a corrupt-free society when the same is the head of corruption?
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is to ask people not to eat toad while one goes behind the scene to relish a dish made from toad.
I know that the people that run our government receive their salaries and benefits when due. But civil servants’ and retirees’ wages and pensions are withheld, some up to 20 months. No one can live in calm in such a situation. The most affected are medical professionals, and those in the education sector. I’m particularly pained that many pensioners die in pursuit of their entitlements. The only ones living above average are the government because they feed fat from the public purse.
These leaders take the commoners as toothless bulldogs that can only bark. Yes, the youth might have slept for years, but they are now interested in their nation’s governing process. Maybe another revolutionary protest will bring back our leader’s reasoning and make them act on much-needed reforms. I hope it won’t get to that point.
Long train of soldier ants
Aboard the swerving tree
Several spiky leaves float
When swarms of bees
And flies waltz in sunlight,
Beautiful birds tweet
This little carnival was about
The milk from a leaking coconut
Sitting on this grassy knoll,
Overlooking the vastness
Of the vast open sea and
A strip of aureate colored sand
Hearing the gulls calling mournfully
Seeing the breakers endlessly
Crashing against the shore
In the distance are islets
Dark blue against the sky
Beyond them, the boundless ocean
Feeling quite relaxed and mellow
Feeling at peace and calm
Here calmness and harmony is found
Relaxing my troubled mind
Gazing at the aquamarine and
Sapphire colored waters
And the rugged brown boulders
With the white frothing brine
It is delightful to be here
At this moment in time
All is well
Love is a tiny seed that grows silently and evolves into a tree. It’s green leaves, and strong branches give succor to all that run to its shelter. It’s kind and compassionate.
Love knows no religion or tribe. It does not shame or get jealous. It dreams and, like birds, soar above all. It is humility and unselfishness – an umbrella that accepts all races and creeds.
Love brings hope and positivity. It may be the little green butterfly flying about the treetop. Her soft wings gladden the soul and bring happiness to the beholder. With the wind, it floats as the fragile cottonseed to faraway places.
Love tolerates and corrects; true love is unconditional and lives forever. It creates and reproduces. It respects and adores, and sees the best in everything. Love builds bridges and colors the world in peace.
Love is a story of perseverance and resiliency. It is a sunset over the African countryside, the beginning and the end of the day.
All life is capable of love. When one looks within, that’s the first call of love.
Ever heard birds call out
To the fast-falling night
Across the glossy horizon
As the setting sun sink?
Ever waited for sunset
To bring in pots,
Take out warm mats
And wait for moonlight?
Slowly night falls here
So ends the noisy day
Hippopotamuses have a deadly reputation. They can be huge, weighing up to 3,628 kilograms, and, though they live primarily on plants, they can be very aggressive. They are territorial and will fiercely protect their young. Hippos can use their enormous jaws to turn over small boats, which they mistake for crocodiles. With their sharp 30 centimeter long teeth, they can easily bite a man in two.
Another mammal with a fearsome reputation is the lion. Lions are powerful animals, capable of breaking the necks of wildebeests with a single blow of one of their massive paws. An adult lion is strong enough to drag a carcass twice as heavy as itself.
Lions will only attack humans when food is scarce or injured and cannot hunt faster prey. The deadliest lion struck in Tanzania in 2004. This one lion killed 35 people, and it is thought he did this due to toothache discomfort.
Wild elephants have a far better reputation and are considered peaceful animals that look after each other and rarely attack humans. However, a male elephant can behave aggressively when looking for a mate, and female elephants will attack when their calf is threatened.
Whole herds of elephants have been known to stampede when they feel threatened or anxious. When this happens, people can be crushed under their enormous feet or gored by their long tusks.
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