The sun beats down all day long.
Its never-ending source of heat
Makes the desert like an oven
The ground cracked, through lack of water.
No human-being or animal
Can be seen in the midday heat.
Only in the morning and evening
The desert comes to life.
In the distance a voice can be heard shouting “water!”
But it is only the sun playing tricks.
There is no water,
Only sand and more sand.
When the sun has finally disappeared,
The desert gets very cold.
It is then that all the little rodents and snakes
Come out to hunt for food.
A spider for some;
A rat for others,
While weary travellers plod on through the night,
Wrapped in animal skins for warmth.
Sometimes the sound of vultures is heard,
Which means some poor creature has died.
It may be anyone next,
To give the animals a meal.
NJB
14.1.78
