In Touch With Nature – Wildebeeste, the Clown of the Veld

Last month I wrote about warthogs, one of the Ugly Five animals of Southern Africa. This month I have written about another Ugly Five animal, the wildebeest. I have written a poem using the format and rhyming scheme of another very famous poem. Can you guess which poem it is?

Wildebeest, Clown of the Veld

In the game park we’d just arrived, after a long and difficult drive

Despite being fatigued, my eyes were quick and eager to see

The animals I love, anything and everything from lion to dove

I happened to see a mom and calf, running along wild and free

“Look,” I cried, “a baby wildebeest, running along wild and free”

The calf sighting filled me with glee

***

It was early summer, and the temperatures couldn’t be hotter

When we had this chance encounter with the “clown of the veld”

Also known as gnu, these ones were black not East African blue

Such a funny looking creature, not sophisticated and svelte

Even its erratic and playful behaviour was far from svelte

The joker of the veld

***

A joy to watch, they looked like they’d had a go at the scotch

As the vehicle approached, they pranced, leaping up and down

Kicking their heels into the air, an entertaining dancing pair

Running in circles for no reason, the world was their playground

Suddenly stopping, looking back, over their world and playground

Amusing and fun veld clowns

***

Wildebeest, the name, means wild beast, although on grass they feast

Unlike their blue Eastern relatives, black wildebeest don’t migrate

They have a long, horse-like tail, and the darker ones are always male

These creatures must drink water daily or they’ll quickly dehydrate

As a result you’ll find them near waterways so they don’t dehydrate

During droughts, death their fate

***

Driving further down the road, several more gnu became exposed

Many more adults and calves grazing with zebra in a mixed herd

My camera was quickly snapping, so fast my pictures overlapping

On their backs and heavy forequarters feasted the ox-pecker bird

Wildebeest have a symbiotic relationship with the ox-pecker bird

Although this pairing looks absurd

***

Often a gnu’s life depends, on hanging around with its zebra friends

This relationship heightens their awareness of any potential carnivores

In the bush the cats must also eat, the only escape being quick and fleet

This is the way of life in the wild and animals comply with the bush laws

One creature must die to give another life in terms of the bush laws

Part of experiencing the great outdoors

You can see my Youtube videos of wildebeest here:

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

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