Poetry | Nature
Bushveld Serenade
a musical written and directed by nature in the South African bushveld.
The Bushveld, is a subtropical ecoregion in Southern Africa, about 800-1,200 meters above sea level. The bushveld vegetation is characterized by acacia and baobab trees. It also has knee-high thorn bushes and tall grass. The bushveld has a moderately dry climate with an annual rainfall of between 380–640 mm.” (Source: Britannica Website.)
I visited family and friends in the bushveld and fell in love with its tranquil beauty. I can spend hours in the bushveld listening to the sounds of nature. It is soul food.
In the poem below, I have used a couple of Afrikaans, Xhosa, and Zulu words to capture the spirit of the rainbow nation. It is in italic font in the poem. At the end of the story, the words are translated into English.
Bushveld Serenade
Bushveld bundu, nothing all around. Absolute nothingness. Nothing, yet everything!
The horizon, shrinks to a hazy line, shimmering in the distance. A blurry thin skirmish line — a dancing mirage miracle.
Bushveld bundu nothingness, a silent-loud peaceful sanguine symphony! All around you — can you see, hear, and feel it?
Listen; you’ll hear, feel and see. The sonbesies screeching loudly a high pitch tirp-firp-tirp fluttering in the air.
Feel; Acacia trees rustling, swaying a tap-tap disco beat, in a gusty warm wind dancing in the veld.
See; the mossies and vinke, doing a chirp-chirp, cha-cha on the branches, an upbeat joyous song-dance in the Boabab tree — celebrating life.
Nothingness? No, rather a bushveld bundu bash ! Become one with nature, connect to nature. Ukuthula, be filled with peace, and harmony — you’ll hear, feel and see.
A well-choreographed Bushveld musical whispering sereneness to one’s soul.
Do you have an area of nature or a park that is special to you? Does it speak to your soul? Let me know in the comments.
Translation of words used in the poem: bundu — a Xhosa word meaning “a remote area.” sonbesies — an Afrikaans word meaning “cicadas.” veld — an Afrikaans word meaning “grassland.” mossies — an Afrikaans word meaning “sparrows.” vinke —an Afrikaans word meaning “finches.” Ukuthula — a Zulu word meaning “peace.”
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