Wistful Thoughts

By Shadow Hamilton

Starting within Africa, she then moves on to poems that are inspired by nature. A poet of much vision, she writes about things that enthrall her reader by the sheer imagery of her works.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jun 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504943116

Shadow Hamilton

She was born in Scotland, moving to London at two, then off to the Canneries at three, where she learned to speak Spanish, returning to London at age five. She went to school by Hampstead Heath. In 1958, the excitement started as she sailed out to East Africa via the Suez Canal. She arrived in Dar-es-Salaam harbor on her eighth birthday then moved inland to Dodoma, where she remained until 1960. Living right on the edge of the bush in Dodoma, her rubbish bins were nightly raided by big cats and hyenas. Moving back to Dar-es-Salaam, she now had the beauty of Oyster Bay, where she swam and searched the coral rock pools at low tide. She learned to sail and could often be seen racing friends in her dabchick, once having to be rescued by the lifeboat after turning turtle during a bad squall. She was very sad to have to return to England in 1968, but her parents feared the balloon would go up after Independence and got out before hand. Having been bitten by the travelling bug, she travelled to many exotic places, and it is these experiences that she draws on when writing her poems.

Book preview

Journey to Africa as seen by an eight year old

My journey through life has seen so much

far have I travelled and much I have done.

Seen so many things that most others never do

the rock of Gibraltar, with teems of scary monkeys.

Travelling out we sailed through the Suez canal,

wondrous mysteries that delighted an eight year old.

Camels striding along, enormous crocs floating by

the land so close you want to touch it and run on it.

Zanzibar our next port of call, ram shackled boats galore,

the heady scents of spices abounds teasing the nostrils.

The vivid different colours everywhere flood my senses as

on to our destination Dar-es-Salaam harbour, most picturesque.

A miss mash of ships, some luxury, most tramp ships or boats,

sails of all colours, dark people unloading trunks from the holds.

This was a time taken out of time, a way of life quite relaxed

just think of the things ahead, the adventures that awaited me.

written 08/08/2013

East Africa

Lands of bounty, yet also so barren

red soil so pungent and full of life.

If the monsoon’s rains don’t fall

a veritable dust bowl you become.

Great herds teem over your plains

constantly moving following the rains

behind them a land picked clean

only a few tender shoots showing.

Withering and dying in the midday heat

only to be saved by a short down pour

sleek well fed pride of lions roam

soon their time of plenty over.

Unlike the herds they stay waiting

for the next herd of animals to come.

the giant crocs in the river now well fed

it could be a year before they feast again.

All this and so much more, means, spellbound

I reflect on African shores that hold close my heart

with love and even tenderness for this great land

That still holds me captivated by its charms.

Serengeti Sunset

Driving through the Serengeti plains

twilight started to fall over the land.

Then in the blink of an eye night falls

no slow fading of light just darkness.

The full moon comes out and reveals

the sky awash with rainbows of colour,

all left behind by the glowing setting sun

bathing all of the plains with Technicolor.

written 08/04/2013

Leopard

Motionless the big cat waits

deep in the scrub shadows.

Sun starting to set, night draws in

fading light makes her invisible.

Only the odd flick of an ear

gives her hiding place away

suddenly she tenses and coils

a spurt of speed and its done.

She and her cubs will eat tonight

softly the mother leopard calls

with a few rustles of undergrowth

they tumble into the moonlight.

Furry balls of fun without a care

they belly up to the deer carcass

a few more weeks learning the ropes

then a solitary life awaits them all.

Of the four she now has with her

maybe one will make it through

struggling with the strife of living

whilst fighting to rear her own cubs.

For now they are safe and well tended

with a soft cry she takes them back

to her well hidden cliff top cave

they are all safe for yet another day.

written 08/06/2013

Dar-es-Salaam Harbour (acrostic)

D ar harbour full of teeming life

A mass of colourful ships and boats

R adiant do your waters gleam

E ach wave gently lapping the shore

S ails fluttering in the breeze

S lowly yet violently the yachts jib

A s they sail and tack against the wind

L oud blast out the ships horns

A s the tugs pilot them to sea or dock

A nd the gulls screech diving in their wakes

M any colourful dhows sail in to moor

H ot breezes on my face

A s midday temperatures soar

R aising our sails we float

B ringing our bows into the wind

O ut to sea we are headed

U nder full sail we skim the waves

R eady for what ever adventures await

written 03/11/2013

finalist in National Anthology of Poetry Competition of 2014

Elephant Song

Back in 1958 things were very different

the plains of Africa teemed with life.

Vast herds of elephants some 80 years or more

once a hunters paradise, no