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I’d fly
across a Serengeti sky
spread golden honeyed
with your heat
to meet with distant horizon
if I had but wings
to soar
the Masai below the sky
knew the story
knew how endless plains
became endless
became filled
with every creature
to creep and crawl
and move
became migration of millions
became dance of gazelle
but
only blue gnu were sacred
only gnu
shared their blood
shared their bloodline
with the Masai
when Enkai brought his cows
down from the sky
every gnu came down from his herd
left his herd
for famished lands below
but Olapa was a jealous one
she sang “Kiti! Kiti!” to mock him
before she struck him
Enkai
wounded
disfigured
took his own magic
round himself as a cloak
and shone bright
so bright
that none could look at him
but
Olapa
curiosity overtook treachery
she looked at his brightness
she lost her eye
you can see it
hung high above the plains
watching
through night sky
unblinking
that which began the earth
across a Serengeti sky
spread golden honeyed
with your heat
to meet with distant horizon
if I had but wings
to soar
the Masai below the sky
knew the story
knew how endless plains
became endless
became filled
with every creature
to creep and crawl
and move
became migration of millions
became dance of gazelle
but
only blue gnu were sacred
only gnu
shared their blood
shared their bloodline
with the Masai
when Enkai brought his cows
down from the sky
every gnu came down from his herd
left his herd
for famished lands below
but Olapa was a jealous one
she sang “Kiti! Kiti!” to mock him
before she struck him
Enkai
wounded
disfigured
took his own magic
round himself as a cloak
and shone bright
so bright
that none could look at him
but
Olapa
curiosity overtook treachery
she looked at his brightness
she lost her eye
you can see it
hung high above the plains
watching
through night sky
unblinking
that which began the earth
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