Dust gilded on a bone-dry wind Laughter lifted, echoing along the cliffs to collide with the call of a hammerkop Flamadiddle of footsteps, bouncing off the blazing stone bed of the Tugela Sun shimmering the darting shapes of children and dogs, scampering to a White-glinting wink of water Effortless energy of light, sound and dance Face shadowed beneath a pail Footfall silenced in the hungry soil, feeling a path between the red rocks to the grey bank Figure poised, pausing, scanning the remains of the river, shrunk and sucked by drought and draught Dipping, fills the bucket from the stream and, standing, turns Away to trace the daily route Wasting…