North of Nairobi

Green Hilux Toyota
rough African road
west of Lake Turkana
hauling a heavy load,
NGO nurse
Riding along shotgun
both dusty brown
from out in the Africa sun,

She asked to ride along
Nairobi to Sudan
spend the night halfway
all part of the plan,
Rundown safari lodge
little bit off the way
Tusker Beer ice cold
perfect place to stay,

Askari watch the truck
take our bags to the site
tents and modular buildings
it once was pretty nice,
Crusty guy runs the place
Rhodesian ex-pat
in a Jo’burg bar
he was once some fat-cat,

He talks to the nurse
about plans for the night
tent with a double bed
asks if that’s right,
Companion doesn’t answer
as I look her way
then after a long minute
she says OK,

Around the fire we talk
drink beers and tell lies
sounds and smells of Africa
watch the moon rise,
Four other guests
two couples from who knows where
some research project
each a thousand-yard stare,

Waiter brings us dinner
grilled meat with vegetables too
it isn’t five-star
but it will certainly do,
With the sound of lions
not that far away
after two more beers
we call it a day,

At the tent she queries
“I hope you don’t mind
don’t like to sleep alone
perhaps we’re two of a kind?”
Removes her boots and pants
and her safari shirt
pink Patagonia underwear
a sensible flirt,

I follow her suggestion
strip ‘most all the way
think: not tonight
but perhaps one day,
We climb into the bed
fall asleep back-to-back
hyenas out there calling
the night coal-mine black…