Wednesday, January 27, 2010

THE UGANDAN DREAM


I sank into the snowy cushions of Magherita
The highest peak of Rwenzori-the mountain of the moon
And from up here,
I watched the new moon smile at me,
Stretching out its twilight arms to stroke my dreamy face?



I sank deeper into the cushions
Down to the Semiliki River
And rolled into the Victoria
Nalubaale- the natives call it-
There, my fins developed and I sped
Through the waters like the emputa-
The much cherished Nile perch
I zoomed passed the mamba- lung fish- and the water weeds
Under the floating roots of the water hyacinth
and smiled at the mukene-silver fish

Phew!
I dodged the fisherman's net
And stormed down the Victoria Nile
Like the salmon up in North America
I catapulted down the Bujagali falls

As I was about to dive back into the foamy waters
My fish-eagle wings developed and gracefully,
I soared high into the clear sky
Higher and higher I rose
Eastward, the wind guiding me
Until I could see the Masaba-the Elgon Mountain
Covered by foliage of Arabic coffee
I headed northward, towards Kidepo National Park?

I reached down for the green shrub
It tasted salty, but satisfying
I turned my graceful giraffe-neck to watch
The warthog scramble for a mud bath,
The Zebra and the Buffalo walk side by side
I heard the distant laugh of the hyena
And smiled at the pink flamingo
Splashing water on its dry back

I looked up at the sun
Warm, yellow and bright
Kissing my rather long back side
On which rested an Egret

From the corner of my eye,
I caught the stealth of a long back
Extending to a long tail of the Cheetah?
Crouched low on all fours, I waited
For the perfect chance, then leapt and charged
I ran fast-very fast and just as I was about to snap my jaws shut on the rodent, it disappeared into a hole?

Down inside, I panted?exhausted
My hind leg hurt
I lifted it to give it a lick, my long ears twitched
I lay down panting, my heart bounced in my chest
My nostrils sipped in the air at an alarming rate
I looked at my store of roots and nibbled at a cassava tuber,
My hare instincts calming down

Outside the rains started
The once bright light entering my burrow
turned grey
I loved the smell of wet soil
So much
I curled up in a ball of fur and slept

Later I woke up in my room
Wow
What a Ugandan Dream!!

By Daniel R. Ruhweza
Attorney-At-Law

3 comments:

  1. This is good Daniel. If you allow, we can put it on our AUPSA website.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What fantastic imagery! Thank you for this!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Like the imagery, description and style.
    Good to know you have joined the blogging world.
    I'm a fan already.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for your comment. I will try to respond to it as soon as possible.