Boabab

I ask a local how old is the tree

60 years, he says with little confidence

I'm thinking at least 200

Either way, it is beyond our span

Another tells me it is hollow inside

and can hide a whole village

So it has uses

beyond holding my mouth open

And I ask myself,

Why would such a village

need to hide?

07

copyright 2007 Trevor Haug

from "Poems of Africa"