The Layou River Stranger

The Layou River Stranger
By Chris Commodore © 2007

Last night near Layou River
I met a total stranger
His face was like the mountains
His sweat fell like the rains

His eyes were like the blazing sun
Green haze shot from a gun
His hair like tangled mangrove roots
Upon his feet, no boots

His speech was like the thunder
The sound of guns hereunder
His blinking brought the lightening
Paused leaders from their thing

His movements churned a whirlwind
His breathing, wild tornadoes
His nostrils brewed the awful storms
That ruffled earthen forms

But an aura was about him
Like the rainbows in my dream
And like radiating sunshine
His smile was yours and mine

But as gentle as the morning dove
He preached and talked of love
At all, he said it wasn’t gone
Not from this only son

Then from his eyes fell teardrops
Like hail that battered crops
And he wailed, and wailed, Oh mankind!
That my pathways you would find!

I gave up everything for you
My throne and my life too
And still you live as if I failed
And then again, he wailed

The morning’s oh, so imminent
No more time please, repent
I woke just as he clenched his fist
And withered like the mist