the mystery of the okavango
is fairly easy to discern
prouting in the lofty angolan highlands

the mighty river
winds down its way southwards
kirting the landmined areas around the benguela
and cuito cuanavale                           
cene of a massive cuban-inspired triumph
over those villains of the apartheid regime
and moving further south
through koevoet training grounds

of northern namibia
and the intrepid caprivi strip
the okavango breaks rank with
the linyati
outside the town of rundu
the latter heading westwards
towards katima mulilo
while on its final journey
the okavango makes forced entry
into the north-western corner of botswana
amid a stormy torrent
rolling over over popa falls

and in its yet persistent southern push
both man and nature feed off it
ustaining a motley of cosmopolitan
and ‘colourful’
if displaced cultures

from herero-mbanderu
in flowing victorian gabardines

which induce a swift
and perceptible sense of de ja vu
through to the dreadlocked and clay-clad hambukushu-himba
onto the lanky yei fisherman
teering a retired german couple
in his dug-out canoe
 on whose narrow deck he stands uptight
oar rowing the water below
then further downstream
the epical river meets the fabled ‘river bushman’
imilarly feeding off its fish
whereupon
bereft of its seaward drive
the okavango recoils

swells up
and cracks open
quandering its doubled-up bounty
onto the arid sands of the ancient kalahari
its distant cousin
whence time ever art so still…

©dubla senthufhe