Griots say
first there was the silent dance
of Great Roog–the origin and the end–
and his black and white chalkboard abstraction,
the star, Yoonir
Roog wrung word from bell:
WATER! AIR! EARTH!
Star marked the spot,
made fruit of egg
take shape
Somb seed penetrated swamp
placenta of planet took root
bearer of first on earth
and now…
And now pangools slither
like snakes in the ngaul tree
~ Lady