The Screen of Grasses

Softly, slowly,
Waving in the wind
Brown grasses
Silently whisper
To the dry brown earth.

Gliding stealthily,
Behind the brown grasses,
Moves the brown back of a lion
Sliding behind the grasses.

Then --
Suddenly, an explosion of action
As the lion gallops across the plain
To attack an inattentive antelope.

The brown of the lion
And the brown of the antelope
Rise and appear, fall and disappear
Behind the brown screen of the grasses.

Then the brown head of the lion
Boldly rises from the brown earth --
From behind the screen of the grasses
Somewhat redder.

Copyright © Benyah Shaparenko, 2001