Southlands / andrea olivia ottley

your stoic beauty ambushes my senses
with an irresistible yearn
wild flowers, trees and ancient pathways
brilliant green, a magnificent scene
craving, beckoning a poet’s first flight
embracing all with utter delight

a seducer to lonely hearts…

the banyan tree, awe-inspiring
through the verdant canopy of leaves
a vision of graceful longevity
sunlight ripples through its tapestry
with its mellow illumination
cascading silently upon the earth
entwined with the gnarled roots

children in the companion of play
swinging from its descending vines
as it bears their weight like a parents arms
their laughter echoes with great jubilance
such uncommon sounds dissolving the venerable norms

your natural mysteries refuse to release its hypnotic hold on me
hence, i will my soul to consume
more of your intoxicating beauty
allowing it to harmonise with my life source
transcending me beyond this realm of reality

listening to the gentle pulsing of waves
as its melodies float with the tides like anthems
lingering cool sprays quenching the thirsty skin
parched by the rays of today’s sun

a panoramic view spanning endless miles
reflecting the shimmering turquoise hues
the children play, laughing merrily
between the friendly breaking waves
approaching the pink sand

the rocks, griots in their own rights
each has a story to tell
of centuries of history,
natural and manmade they record
eager to share with patient visitors

southlands have shed all exclusivity to embrace all in its undiscovered history.

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