Follow along my "River" of thoughts as I attempt to re-capture the essence of my trip down the Bano River in a pirogue (PIH-ROAG) guided by my friend Alliye (AL-LEE-YEH).

The following words in the poem are pronounced like this:

pirogue - PIH-ROAG
Alliye - AL-LEE-YEH.

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Life on the river--

         the pirogue moves lazily

               through muddy water.



                            Alliye tells me,

        "Listen!" to cattle mooing...

they eat on the river banks.

   

I smell the green grass

      and look at the high blue sky.

                 There is peace here.



       Donkeys cross the bridge.

   Women, baskets on their heads

                  walk to the market.

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Our boat floats

       under the bridge, around the

           bend in the river.

   

               Alliye moves the boat

            with a long pole. 

     He knows how to fish.

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                Pirogues, like this one

        cross the river on trips

  between towns.

   

Hear the waves.

     The river flows.

           Slowly we cross it.