Guama River

The Guama River

 On our last day in the Amazon we took a trip to the Guama river,  a tributary near Belem. It was really refreshing to hear our guide talk passionately about the importance of the rainforest to the whole world,  and how it was imperative to protect it against the threat of deforestation and development.  He described the clouds the rainforest generates as "rivers of the sky". His passion inspired this poem,  based on snippets of what he told us.

Amazon to Guama (A-G)

Announcements in the show lounge
A tender boat to shore
Air conditioned coach through Icoaraci
Appalling poverty,  shanty shacks.

Boarding a tub of a boat
Blessed by a pink dolphin
Breaking the water by us
Belem shrinking in the distance.

Clouds are the rivers of the sky
China buys up all their soya
Communication was by striking tree roots
Cell phones nowadays.

Deforestation is happening
Disastrous for the world
Desertification of the land
Doom and gloom is threatened.

Everyone depends on the Amazon
Ecosystem of the world
Electricity is from hydro
Excess produces aluminium.

Forest paths bring riches
Few stop to look or listen
Further into the jungle
For me a revelation.

Going back to the ship
Goodbye to the Amazon
Grateful for the experience
Glad to be a witness.


© Copyright 2018. Chris Auger. All Rights Reserved.

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