Lament for My Feet
written by: Deryn van der Tang
@dvdtang1
Bare feet dancing through the veld
Footprints in the soft red dust
Elephant grass above my head
Whispering secrets I could trust.
Distant drumbeat in the sultry air,
A rhythm that stirs my very core,
A heartbeat of the land itself,
Vibrations echo, call me to explore.
The artful snare of an antlion’s trap
Conical indents in the dust
Chongololo curls at my touch
Matabele ant, whose smell disgusts
Across my path, they march and dance
Without a care, they love and share
This place we both called home
A world untouched, beyond compare.
A crack of thunder, the smell of rain,
Fat drops plop, turning dust to mud,
The lovely squelch between my toes,
In a world before it turned to blood.
Alas, it was but a fleeting dream,
My feet dance no more,
Encased in boots on foreign shore
The drumbeats in my soul are still.
But in my heart, Africa remains,
A cherished memory, vivid and sweet,
I’ll forever lament the day my feet,
Danced in the veld, where memories meet.
- Under The Wild Fig Tree - June 12, 2024
- Spotlight On Writers – Deryn van der Tang - February 10, 2024
- Lament for My Feet - October 2, 2023
