Song of the Namib
Jennifer Davis 1991 (Sponsored by Rossing Foundation, Oxfam UK, New Namibia Books)
(Published by New Namibia Books (Pty) Ltd, P.O. Box 21601. Windhoek. The Publisher has been contacted for permission to reproduce this poem)
Soo-oop-wa is a Nama name for the sound of the sighing wind of the desert. The Namib is the desert which runs along the west coast of Namibia for 1350km. See Blog dated 13th and 23rd February for information about the Desert and Rossing Mine.
Song of the Namib
Soo-oop-wa, Soo-oop-wa, where have you been?
To the sea in the West with the waves of green.
Soo-oop-wa, Soo-oop-wa, what did you there?
I brought in the fog for the desert to share.
Soo-oop-wa, now where are you going?
To play in the dunes for ever flowing.
Soo-oop-wa, Soo-oop-wa why do you blow?
To scatter the seeds that they might grow.
Soo-oop-wa, Soo-oop-wa, why blow from the East?
I bring heavenly gifts for a fine desert feast.
Soo-oop-wa, Soo-oop-wa, why do you moan?
In the waves of sand I can not find a home.
Soo-oop-wa, Soo-oop-wa, why do you sigh?
I must find things to do; forever restless am I.
Soo-oop-wa, Soo-oop-wa, is the desert so bare?
Look closely, my child, you’ll find wondrous things there.
There are creatures that swim beneath hot desert sand
And lizards that dance the song of the land.
See the scorpions that hunt only after it’s dark
See dainty footprints of the sweet desert lark
There are spiders that roll down the dunes just for fun
And sleep in silk tunnels away from the sun.
The tiny gecko with his little webbed feet
And the gerbils and snakes that all adapt to the heat.
The beetle that stands on his head may seem weird
But cool drops of dew fall down his legs into his beard!
There are aphids and beetles that live on milkweed
I play with these plants and spread their seed.
The ground squirrel nibbles on dry devil’s thorn
But when the rain comes a new world is born.
For then colourful plants spring to life from the sand
And spread like a patchwork quilt all over the land
I whistle through canyon crags, dark and old
And ancient Welwitschia leaves, fold upon fold.
I tease the golden mole and the wasp with no wings
Oh, my child, I have found such wonderful things!
Soo-oop-wa, Soo-oop-wa, do you blow in the night?
Yes, I play with the creatures of the silver moonlight.
I blow dust from the stars in the dark heavens high
So they sparkle and twinkle until the new dawn is nigh.
Then back to the golden waves I come
To play in the warmth of the great, burning sun!
