Rhino Sanctuary

We have had a very busy week saying goodbye. My school had quite the send-off, complete with traditional drumming and dancing. I finally just this week felt like I was making good connections with my students, so in that regard I am sad to leave ( Arriving on the 10th. ) Except for the people, there are very very few things I miss about America. ( Diet Coke is about it.) I will certainly never look at the water flowing so freely from my faucets in the same way again. I hope to get a few pictures posted about this past week. Until then, however, what follows are my reflections on last week's visit to a rhino sanctuary. We stayed in a guest house right in the game reserve; at one point we were about only 30 feet away from these endangered creatures. It was pretty unforgettable.

Solace in Sanctuary

fenced into this safe place
we walked in grasses tall
and trees
luxuriant with sounds almost friendly.

We came at last upon them:
animals gray, sensual, ancient.

Of course they won the confrontation; we moved back before they also turned away.
For long moments then we watched them
Massive creatures in a vast expanse
Of open land and silent sky.

Weakly we tried to hold on to this extra-ordinariness
but the sweat of our backs
and thoughts of details mundane
pulled us back to mortality.

We left satisfied for our encounter with glory,
and at night
lying among falling stars
our questions were our praise.

We asked, we wondered,
we
wondered.

These were our gratitude for such infinite healing silence.