The Ranjang River
The old stories came
She smile as she remembered
The hunting ground of her needs
She saw the old memories
With her buddy she rowed the boat
Fearless and tomboyish in her attire
She enjoyed the freedom
She just imagined herself
“I am the pirate of the sea
Ho ho ho come and get me!”
“What are you smiling?”
“Thinking of my exploits
This river has memories for me”
“Look a crocodile!
It looks so familiar!”
Her brother came to look
He narrowed his eyes to see
“It's Oscar over 25 years ago
He still lives in this water”
The model waved at the crocodile
Oscar remembered the face and smile
It swam towards the big boat.......
She patted its head as it submerged
“Hey Oscar!
The eyes popped open to see
“Yeah the same little girl
Now she has grown”
She gave Oscar a live chicken
It came up opening its mouth
One bite the chicken in its jaw
Slowly it disappeared
They stopped at a river bank
They put up tent for the night
It would be a long quiet moonlit shadow
On the dry ground they camped
The insects came
So were the mosquitoes
They brought mosquitoes coils
Lit it up let the breeze spreading it
The model couldn't sleep
The years spending in cover magazines
It would take her a while to adjust back her root
She stared at the darkened darkness
Her brother slept
Snoring in the quiet night
She got up sat on a log she found
The torchlight shone the site
“I am part of this Nature
I shouldn't allow it to disappear”
She whispered softly to yourself
As her hands whacked the disturbing insects
As she was tossing off
She heard a sound of motor engine
It came nearer to the river bank
Then the engine was cut off...
She got up walked nearby to look
A man came ashore with his gears
He had a big torchlight shining the camp site
She recognized him as he walked nearer
“Hold it there mister!
You better don't move or I shoot!”
“Oh common girl
It's me I am back too”
“Yeah scared you?
Maybe living too long in the city”
“It will come back
In a couple of days”
“What are you going to do?”
“I am going to campaign
This election is important
To me and you and Nature”
“It's time we take back our destiny
We can't let a minority leader squashing our lives
It's time we woke up and fight for change”
“I am not so interested; I want to make money”
“Don't get blind on money
It will hold you by your neck
This is a bigger fish to handle
Our land our home our future”
The old friend looked at her
“You haven't changed though popular now
You still have the fire burning in your soul
The balance act of money and Nature”
“Look around us
What have the government done?
They took all the money
Giving us what in the end?
“I know you are keen in politics
You can criticize as you like
End of the day you have to decide
Will you contest in this election?”
“You want to be my agent?
If you do, I will contest”
“What am I to say?”
“You are always standing for me”
The buddy man kept quiet
He knew he had to support her
What else he didn't in their shared lives?
“I can set up but pick a party to represent”
“I doubt I have the time
By then I will be out of contention
I will stand as an independent candidate
Later I will join a party”
“First you must have a manifesto
You must put up an office
You must have campaign workers
You must have pr guy or woman”
The woman smile
“I know you can handle it
You always do for me
I will campaign for change”
Her brother stirred
He heard the soft conversation
He shot up quickly
“Whose there?”
“Go to sleep Jargon
It is still night”
“Oh broken tooth
You sneaked in on us?”
“You know how our people live
In the villages you don't get clean water
It is back to the old system........
Now we should change; we must go to the ground”
Jargon now fully awaken
He walked slowly to them
“You two still talk about politics
You have nothing else to do?”
“In this night Jargon?
You are still dreaming my friend
You don't see what happen around you?
You lived here most of your life”
“I have my business
Taking passengers for tourist spots”
“You are blinded by money
You don't open your eyes and ears”
“We can't fight our leaders
They say to help us all those years”
“Jargon they take you for rides
They live in palatial homes and money”
“Brother you are too soft
Maybe politics isn't for you
But remember it affects your life
One day you wake up it will be too late”
“I want to earn a living
I see tourists coming here
To me that's the money
I earn it so I live”
“You don't think beyond tourists arrival?
You are so contented that the leaders can push you away
Taking your rights maybe land too
And will still stay inactive in your life?
“I am a simple man
What I know I earn my keep
Let God punish the leaders
Their time will come”
“It is our people now
We have to let them know
We can't wait for these leaders to die
By then we all will be dead gone”
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