South of the Equator

Jade medallion, lush in cerulean sea,

a thousand miles from somewhere

Luminous laughter, intoxicated joy,

trunks swaying to French Creole beats

Rumbling waves beget immaculate surge

of cajoling slaps in favour of bracing sea quest

Curvaceous horizon of smeared cherry paint,

conquered at last by mutinous moon

Its favourite place to be





Clock tower bequeathed by momentous nation,

colonial ambience of time moved out

Pastel chalk walls, bouquet of cinnamon and fish

alongside tracks idly ambled

Bizarre fruits vended throughout bazaar routes,

hagglers trying before they buy

Little is Ben, an unlikely king, so tall stands he;

victorious; centre of all reclaimed

His favourite place to be





Endemic plants perilously scant, peerless Pitchers

tipping their hats to unrivaled orchids

Carnivorous flora bearing pitfall posture;

traps ensnare pests on the wing by bribing nectar

Parent of kernels is this Coco-de-mer,

gendered quite solitarily has this Garden of Eden

Species thus curious, odd Jellyfish Trees,

rare Bois Meduse cultivates this verdant haven

Their favourite place to be





Imminent Palm Spiders dangle, covetous of

melodic Warblers, clutching Fruit Bats

Leisurely hippodromes assembled by Noah;

ancient turtles snapping, grunting

Flightless birds, alone this ocean sees,

redundant wings a blessing; undesired

Clipped as my own as I rambled atolls

in harmonic tune aside two fine friends

Our favourite place to be