The Magic Of The Sunset Poem by Ernest Elliot Daka

We were finally on the island
It was mid-afternoon of a bright warm day
For the low altitude of the lake island
The day was good and deceptively cooler
All around us, the creation was there
All bright and equal on the island

As we looked all around us
The bountiful beauty of nature
Trees, grass, water, animals and others
The plush green of the natural growth
Dotted all over by butterflies and flowers
We were spoilt for colour

The water was there in expanse all around us
And the fish, teasingly jumping out and back
When the game was grazing in peace
For the predator was not around for them
So they gazed at us in wonder
But kept the pace and grazed

Big game, small game was all there
Elephants and hippos and elands roamed proudly
Zebras showing off their bright stripes for all to see
Springboks jumping needlessly as warthogs grazed
Buffalos sinisterly snorting at us but walking away still
The male kudus in tease horn combats for their mates
They all grazed as birds sang the chorus for us

Birds of colour and birds of flight
All kept singing and flying with grace to and fro
They flew in pairs and coveys to and fro in the sky
We watched and cast our lines to fish in silent murmurs
But the fish were all but out for the day of their own
We sat to fish and watch the game

And the sun began to set, changing the colour of the world
We watched our world turn to red and beautiful
The water and the fish were red and fickle
The trees and leaves and flowers all turning bright and red
The game and birds too joined in betrayal of colours of nature
For the sunset was red as the magic of the island carried on
All creatures were now bright and equal

We were also red as fiery apparitions
Our colourful clothes all changing to a new design of red shading
Beautiful floral red unknown to man
Even the sky was red and strange to our eyes
It was bright and beautiful to see and wonder
Incredible sunset colour of Africa alone
Except if you see, you cannot believe the magic in the sunset