heading towards the drylands
road unravelling in the heat beyond
and beyond and beyond
crossing rivers with names that once were
seekoei, olifant and leeuenbosch
folding their green secrets
into damp seams of memory
and shaded river grass
passing fields of wind turbines
towering the grey veld and termite mounds
and we yearn and lean across the distance
tailing the long mountains
watching soil change from black to orange to red
the sky growing wider
higher through deep valley aloes
passing through a city
and out the other side
beyond the bricked suburbs
and unchecked industy
plastic blooms on thornbushes
amongst magenta vygies
and orange daisies where
young boys herd fat goats in noon sun –
the winter rains have been good.
and still the road unfurls
and unfurls to meet you
until balcony in this city far away
among bare branches in new leaf
gymnogene scrapes the blueness of sky
circling close overhead
before feathers catching light
she takes altitude
disappears from sight
For Sherry at Earthweal’s weekly challenge: COLLATERAL BEAUTY https://earthweal.com/2021/10/04/earthweal-weekly-challenge-collateral-beauty/
fresh poetry 
I had to look up gymnogene but then it all became clear. It’s so beautiful, Lindi. I love the smooth thread of your narrative so gently woven with stunning images.
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Thank you. I was surprised to see the gymnogene in the city – but delighted all the same. Heading back home today.
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Wherever there are birds, there’s wonder. (K)
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So absolutely agree. Thank goodness for the birds. 💚
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Sighting beauty comes from the vision in the heart. The naming here is the care and craft of beauty, unscolling the majesties of passage with vygies and gymnogene. The art is the spirit’s greeting here. Collateral, perhaps, but essentially where it springs.
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Thank you Brendan. Lovely to be home again too.
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What a lovely ride you describe as you sought beauty. It didn’t disappoint. It never does. Enjoyed your lovely poem.
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Thank you Myrna. And you are right. It never does. 🌿
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This was beautiful. I felt I was rolling along that winding road, gazing at all of the beauty, as I read. Very lovely, especially the naming. It’s like you combined the last two prompts and came up with a feast of a poem.
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Thanks Sherry. Six hours there, another six home again. Certainly a lot to see and plenty time to poem. Xx
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Such a beautiful account of a journey. I love the way the soaring bird took you ever higher into wonder in the final stanza.
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Thank you Suzanne.xx
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Your words breathe life into this rich, expansive landscape, Lindi! I had to look up gymnogene as well, but what an image, what a majestic sight it must have been!
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Thanks Ingrid. The Gymnogene seems to show up in the strangest places for me.
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and still the road unfurls, it’s like that on a road trip. Unfurling and beauty and that bird must have been quite the site. Thank you for the introduction of the African hawk.
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The gymnogene was a beautiful surprise at the end of the journey
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