Thursday, November 3, 2022

Among Lions

 


With my soul among lions,
I walk the dusky chambers of my heart,
following the dreamways 
cast there, like a spell,
by the pages of my lifetime's
many books.

I tarry there, long evenings
before sleep - light softly falling,
the only sound the quiet turning
of the page. A cheetah cries in the bush,
an elephant treads heavily
to the pond to drink.

And in the amber glow of sunset,
a lion king lies down upon
the highest point of land,
where Finch-Hatton was laid to rest,
those many moons ago,
when all the Masai warriors came to dance
his farewell, and
one of the great love stories
came to an end,
yet is remembered still.


for Shay's Word List, which led me to the Africa of my dreams, experienced in the many books I have read, and movies watched, about that beloved place. My romantic heart (which survived my less-than-romantic life), loved Karen Blixen's Out of Africa. She wrote the Masai reported that lions came in the amber glow of sunset to lie on Finch-Hatton's grave in the years that followed. I Dreamed of Africa by Kiki Gallman, is another beautiful read (and movie). 

10 comments:

  1. Um...fun fact: cheetahs don't roar. They sort of squeak. They sound more like house cats than big cats. Anyway, that's amazing about the lions and the grave. Wow. It seems to me that you just ought to be given a free trip to Africa. I think part of your soul is there.

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    1. Interesting about cheetahs. In fact that reminds me that cougars can meow and squeak too, and sometimes scream. Yes, part of my soul belongs there.

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  2. I had to look up Karen Blixen since I knew her only under her pen name Isak Dinesen. In your words her voice still rises "out of Africa": her memories were so large to fit the continent that held her heart and I envision her "long evenings
    before sleep - light softly falling,
    the only sound the quiet turning
    of the page." Magical and rich, Sherry. You swept me away. And your own love for the earth shines through.

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  3. In this I hear the cheetah, see the elephant but, oh! I love the last stanza with the mighty lion. Nice! I think Morrison was a lion.

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  4. I have read both books you mention .. and enjoyed both movies. Africa carries its own brand of magic ... which you capture quite beautifully.

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  5. Sherry- what a lovely poem. One of my favorite movies is Out of Africa. I've probably seen it at least 5 times.

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  6. It's in our dreams and daydreams like these Sherry, that we still have the freedom to to places we love--the tug to really go will never leave us, but our hearts find a way for that travel. I love this lion dream.

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  7. This was captivatingly beautiful Sherry — fully engaging and enjoyable. I loved “Out Of Africa”. Great post! ๐Ÿ™‚✌๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ•Š❤️๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿฆ“๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿฆ’

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  8. This poem is atmospheric and spiritual and a beautiful homage to the books you speak of, Sherry :-). Love the final stanza, especially.

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