The Amazon...A Poem
Pink orchids and hibiscus trail from crowding, towering trees,
fondled, like the ruby bee, by coiling, umber waters.
An indian canoe pushes through the swaying blossoms
and warted jaws of crocodiles. The river lifts mosquitoes
and pirhanas on its swelling chest and back. No need of rocks
and dashing foam to tell of force and threat. Bright macaws, orange
and yellow dwell, red tails long beyond imagining, bounce
from branch to branch in splendid jocularity, shout and chuckle,
sweetly call in raucous splendor through their aerie thickly green,
emerald woven drapery, leaves and vines, ant and beetle lined.
A horned black spider, huge, skull and crossed-bones scarlet on its neck,
stalks the fecund bower. The embroidered jaguar's gruff throat cough
scrapes the mottled tapestry; cat-soft footsteps, piston-smooth,
stitch the scuffy jungle floor, tail-tip suavely twitching, unseen
by all but wide and fearful eyes. Wound about a snake-like bough,
hard as pernambuco, smoothly sinewed as the inland sea,
the beaded python thinks, and stares in avid meditation,
lucid master of this fetid fiefdom of rot and stench,
dark lord of appetite, beautiful, immaculate.
Copyright by Don Gray
Don Gray Art • Poems