I Want Summer Back

A Short Pictorial Story Of A Southern Summer, Back Then

I want summer back, summer of last year.

I want summer back of last year,
when we were two with hair salty and blonde 

and we smelled of the sea

summer of last year, at the border up north

I want the summer back,
when we lived in that crazy place on the beach.

 I really miss summer of last year, now that I am here. 

There the sand was burning hot.

Until the sun fell into the dark Cassuarina trees like a ripe plum
to just leave us with a long night to talk. Every night

We talked about love, love, love and about life.
Told us how we wanted to do much more.
More and always more with our lives.
Like a good poem that gets stronger and finds more power in the end.

And my friends skin shimmered just like gold

The blue-ass monkeys stole our food,

while we watched the sea until our eyes were all ablaze and mother of pearl was all we saw.

We ate prawns by day and night

listened to music, drank and danced on the beach

until sometimes we lost completely our minds in a couple of hot summer nights

I really miss summer of last year when we were afraid of the trees at night

After all the sun and wine, they looked to us like creatures from a different time.!

Yes, I really do miss my friend and summer of last year, 

when the jackal was around.

Like An Antelope

To look at perfect things gives you better thoughts. 

My writings serve this purpose- to admire the multitude of perfect and wonderful creations of this world, planet, universe...... as far as we can see. 

One of the undeniably most perfect creations is the African Kudu Antelope and on our way back through the African Sunset we were given a very special treat.

Not scared, open, inquisitive, curious................. just a little shy. I felt like watching him for hours

He reminded me of the story of " THE LITTLE PRINCE" by Antione de Saint-Exupery. How do you tame something ? By becoming it's friend.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS LOVE TO STAY

THERE IS A SMALL PARADISE IN THE NORTH OF SOUTH-AFRICA

called THE GREATER ST.LUCIA WETLAND PARK

we travelled on a small boat though the arms and waterways of this amazing area and found the essence of Africa

Hippos were grazing in such great numbers like I have not seen them in years

But an unforgettable moment was to see a mighty fish eagle in very close distance sitting on the high branches of a tree, gazing at us.

On the riverbanks dense tropical vegetations grows

and wildlife that is adapted to living in swamp areas

You can stay hours on the river just cruising, observing, admiring the wonders of this area.

MY OLD CASSUARINA TREE

Of the Cassuarina Tree they say that if you take in a boat with you a piece of it, be it ever so small contrary winds will arise to impede your journey or storms to imperil your life.

They say also that if you stand in its shadow by the light of the full moon you will hear, whispered mysteriously in its dark ramage, the secrets of the future.

These facts have been never disputed; but they say also that when in the wide estuaries the mangrove has in due time reclaimed the swampy land from the water the Cassuarina Tree plants itself and in its turn settles, solidifies and fertilizes the soil till it is ripe for more varied and luxuriant growth; and then having done its work, dies down before the ruthless encroachment of the myriad denizens of the jungle.

(William Somerset Maugham introduction to his novel The Cassuarina Tree)

These are very old Cassuarina Trees in Cape Vidal Nature Reserve in the St.Lucia Wetlands Park in South-Africa close to the border of Mozambique. It was there in that exact place that I have seen them for the first time and I did not know their name. A friend from Brazil told me their beautiful melodic name " Cassuarina ".

Trees are like big brothers and I have always felt they give you energy when you lean with your back against them or sit under them.

They always have their arms wide open for you like this old wild fig tree in a dried up river bed in Umfolozi Game Reserve in South-Africa.

Soon the rivers will fill with water and will run wild but this tree will stand another season and another and another...... with arms wide open for you

Arms wide open giving you shade...