Read Poem: Tanzania Looking Back… , by Glenn Beatty

In my yout’…
Head down, workin’ dog like, frustration dammin’ grindstone so deep
I thought laughin’ was impossible…so many miles to go….sleep….well
Then a boss’s question was answered by me, “you see, Hose’ can’t.”
In a lick of a moment, my heart sparked a hope, nope, no, don’t ya don’t deserve it put yer head back down, as query two out of no…
Where an’ I answered so F’n boldly, quick like a squirrel up a tree. A rabbit down a hole, no, a jet zippin’ through the sky, “I’ll go” . “You’ll go?” “I’ll go.”
Then the pause of pauses my heart pumps like leopard on the hunt
The noise inside blows away the silence of the room and somethin’
Hears. “ok, you’ll go”.
Africa. Tanzania. Hotel. Taxi. Swim in the Indian Ocean. Ahh… Kenyan Crew; of two, cute young couple. Coolest Client ever. Puddle-jumper plane, postage stamp grass “airfield” in the brush. Offer of breakfast! (No, please…got to film!) No elephants, don’t care. Great shoot, great shots, wherever we turn. 3 yr old with a bicyle rim and a stick, rolling fun. Dawn, students sweeping the dust to clean the school “grounds” mixes with sunlight creating a magical mist causing gasps. Heavenly. Shower via water, bucket heated, then into a canvas bag upside down with a spout, best of my life.
A year later, Coolest friend ever, formerly coolest client…ever returns to the village and premiers “The Day The Lights Came on” in Ngarembe, Tanzania. Pure kind sweet joy laughter – jamboree as the citizens enjoyed each other on the screen… some their first movie ever. A dream to dream to see to plan to fly to do to enjoy to surprise, to love.

Author: poetryfest

Submit your Poetry to the Festival. Three Options: 1) To post. 2) To have performed by an actor 3) To be made into a film. View all posts by poetryfest