Poem
Robert Berold
BOUBOU
BOUBOU
BOUBOU
Sounds are rich in the forest of returnsourbush smells and hints of fear
Behind me is the ink of the cathedral
and the soft raindrops which slant the air.
The light of my parents’ house is very far away
I don’t know if I’ll ever see that house again
But I know I’ll hold someone in my arms
we’ll heal each other of the knife-wound’s pain
Boubou is hidden but his song is clean
he’ll be here when our violence is gone
Boubou’s song has turned to a call
which enters my memory as I walk on
Is it a call or a calling, how would I know?
only time and attention will tell
All I know as the world turns to iron
is this birdsong and this particular smell
© 1999, Robert Berold
From: Rain across a paper field
Publisher: Gecko Poetry, Durban
Boubou is an onomatopoeic description of the call of the common forest bird, Laniarius ferrugineus, or the Boubou shrike. It hides from view in dense vegetation but its loud, fluting duets enable mated birds to keep in contact when out of sight of each other.
From: Rain across a paper field
Publisher: Gecko Poetry, Durban
Poems
Poems of Robert Berold
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BOUBOU
Sounds are rich in the forest of returnsourbush smells and hints of fear
Behind me is the ink of the cathedral
and the soft raindrops which slant the air.
The light of my parents’ house is very far away
I don’t know if I’ll ever see that house again
But I know I’ll hold someone in my arms
we’ll heal each other of the knife-wound’s pain
Boubou is hidden but his song is clean
he’ll be here when our violence is gone
Boubou’s song has turned to a call
which enters my memory as I walk on
Is it a call or a calling, how would I know?
only time and attention will tell
All I know as the world turns to iron
is this birdsong and this particular smell
From: Rain across a paper field
Boubou is an onomatopoeic description of the call of the common forest bird, Laniarius ferrugineus, or the Boubou shrike. It hides from view in dense vegetation but its loud, fluting duets enable mated birds to keep in contact when out of sight of each other.
BOUBOU
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