Congolese Quest II

Congolese Quest II
 
Plantains heavy with fruit circle our clearing
A lazy warmth sneaks into my tired muscles
The old man sits like an African Buddha
On a mat of banana leaves
I find my place in life
Under the shadows of palm trees
Which play like children
On the dusty forest floor
My back conforms to the bamboo wall
With my seat resting on elephant footprints
Until his words spell my destiny
Teaching me a quiet way of being
With only the sounds of animals as my teacher
He unwraps a mango
hanging from his neck in a pouch
With a pocket knife, he divides it into two
And our meal is shared
As a light rain cools our skin
He raises his hands and smiles
And I watch the earth come alive again