counting stars

there is a place

that I cross

when I feel lonely.

where moon greets midnight

and curls of delicate green

glow silver,

where trailing jasmine tendrils,

reserve their fragrance,

to bloom for the night.

here lives the magic

a child might feel

here, lays my affair

with time and seclusion

here leaps dancing visions,

brief flirtations...

a pact

sworn to secrecy

into the late of night

in repose, I spy

fireflies, flitting by

and with each visit

I catch the stars

twinkling...

a knowing look in their eyes.

-lyra okita

Super-unnatural Occurrences

Super-unnatural Occurrences

In the wild, elephants have nothing to fear. Their mighty size leaves them with no natural predators. Yet, every 15 minutes, 1 of them dies of unnatural causes (Last Days Film). At the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, May 2013: there are 26 elephant corpses, 17 Sudanese militants, semi-automatic rifles, and…zero tusks. What is missing from this scene? Ivory, on its way to Sudan, where it will then be smuggled into Asia (Vidal). Poaching is not something of the past. Rather, the illegal ivory trade has more than tripled in size since its last peak in 1998 (Vidal).

The main reason poaching is still an issue today is due to the increasing demand for ivory in East Asia. According to the nonprofit think-tank Chatham House, “The street value of ivory reaches up to $2,205 per kilogram in Beijing. Rhino horn can sell for $66,139 per kilo – more than the price of gold or platinum – on the Chinese black market” (Vidal). Africa responds to these large consumer demands by selling poached goods at high prices on the black market. Ivory is even the preferred currency used by rebels and militants to buy weapons like grenades and low flying helicopters. In fact, “the masterminds of the poaching and human killings in these parks are powerful networks of criminals, militias, state armies and corrupt politicians from half a dozen fragile or failing central African countries” (Vidal). The Central African Republic (CAR) ranks at the bottom of the Human Development Index, overwhelmed by violence, poverty, and corruption. In the CAR, the Séléka are a militarized group armed with Iranian weapons (Hammer). With this rebel group in power, the Sudanese militants were able to invade the reservation and slaughter the 26 elephants mentioned earlier. (Hammer).

Now that the reasons behind the poaching have been established, what are the reasons behind the outrage? Game reserves are established to protect wildlife. Hence, the illegal act of poaching endangers these animals. Many also believe sacrificing an entire animal for a specific body part is wasteful. This colossal loss isn’t just restricted to wildlife. The Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered the deaths of five rangers over the past year due to shootouts and sieges by poachers (Vidal). Yet, the deaths of their friends haven't slowed the rangers’ missions to stop the conservation war. Garamba Park Manager Erik Mararv adds, “It’s about trying to stabilise a whole region which has been unstable for decades. It’s about trying to basically build peace. And that is why we wake up every morning, why everyone fights this war, and why we try and save the elephants” (Leithead).

Militarization, local relations, and education are some key ideas from experts on how to solve the crisis. Kalron is an ex-Israeli commando now devoted to protecting wildlife. He claims that militarized training is the first step in countering advanced weapons used by poachers. Kalron created a trusting relationship with aid and supplies to the Séléka, which ultimately dissuaded them from future poaching (Hammer). Other experts believe that implementing new education policies can raise awareness in Asia about the consequences of social customs. According to the non-profit African Wildlife Foundation, rhino horns are commonly thought to possess healing properties, treating hangovers, fever, and cancer. With newfound awareness towards this issue, humans can give back the freedom we have poached so long ago. Perhaps then will the elephants roam the forests without fear.

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Works Cited:

“Last Days Film.” End Ivory-Funded Terrorism, End Ivory-Funded Terrorism, 2017, Accessed June 2017.

Vidal, John. “On the Frontline of Africa’s Wildlife Wars.” The Guardian, The Guardian, July 2016, Accessed June 2017.

Hammer, Joshua. “The Fight Against Elephant Poachers Is Going Commando.” Smithsonian, Smithsonian, May 2016, Accessed June 2017.

Leithead, Alastair. “The War on Elephants.” BBC News, BBC News, June 2017, Accessed June 2017.

“Africa Is Home to the World's Most Iconic Wildlife.” Africa's Poaching Crisis – AWF, Africa's Poaching Crisis – AWF, Aug. 2017, Accessed Aug. 2017.

Unlocking your Inner Knowledge

"I rubbed the nail against a rock until it became too hot to handle, after which I wiped it on my mud-encrusted trousers, and polished it vigorously until the metal shone like new. When I held it up for inspection it sparkled so brightly I thought I could see my eyes and the late summer sky reflected in it" (91).

"Luo took the rusty nail now transformed into a master-key and moistened it between his lips. The key slid noiselessly into place, turned to the left, then the right, left again and a fraction the other way... there was a dry metallic click, and the copper padlock yielded at last" (98).

KEY ANALYSIS: This quote represents the “key” to the boy’s intellectual liberty, because Luo and the Narrator are creating this key as path to getting their desired books. Their key, which unlocks the padlock, represents the nation’s close mindedness and restrictions of foreign literature, and so by unlocking Four Eye’s door (the symbol of forbidden literature), they are opening themselves up to gain unlimited access to all of these Western classics. In the boy's eyes, when the key “sparkled so brightly,” it corresponds to how they view these Western books; a beacon of light for freedom.

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"'What is it with you two, always going for stuff that's forbidden?'

'Don't exaggerate,' Luo said.

'You think I'm exaggerating? You want me to show this to the commune authorities? Your old miller would be accused of spreading erotic material. He might even go to prison. I'm serious'" (77).

“‘How could you waste all that precious time writing down this drivel? I can’t believe it. Do you seriously think an official journal would even consider publishing this shit? That they’d give me a job on the strength of this? You must be out of your minds’” (77).

FOLK SONG ANALYSIS: These two quotes summarize Four Eye’s lack of intellectual liberty, as he feels that the Old man’s folk song is essentially garbage, and forbidden. His fear of publishing this song reveals the little range of freedom he believes he has. This lack of intellectual freedom is a response to the Old man’s authentic, playful mountain song, which is a symbol of freedom of expression. The “forbidden” aspect that Four Eyes is talking about correlates to China at the time, and how they felt about songs in general. Songs symbolize expression and emotion, and aren’t always used for propaganda purposes, like Four Eyes hoped. This song in particular, expressed humor, innocence, and the open  essence of country life, and Four Eye’s backlash to the old man’s song shows the intolerance of intellectual freedom present in China at the time.

chop wood, carry water

Chop wood, carry water

Such a simple task,

yet the burden of a thousand questions

Bears a silent, heavy weight

How shall I chop my wood?

In big, swooping arcs

Split straight down the center

Perfect logs for a chilly winter roast?

Uniform squares stacked high atop one another?

And when I carry this water

Do I carry it in a red bucket

a blue pail?

Where are the others,
that should be here to help?

The misty woods reveal no answer,

Yet the clouds of mind escape from sight

Do not dwell on such silly things,
the ideas within each idea

Such refusal to cut down your will

Will ensure you leave these woods uncut

The water which flows freely

Will not carry itself

Chop wood, carry water.

such an unpleasant necessity

grants eternal fulfillment

Chop wood, carry water.

Do not dwell in the forest, what will you do next?

Life flows in a continuous path

Doing overrides thinking,

Not attached to past

To yearn for the future is

to leave this present undone.

Put aside your desires

To return to the forest

To chop wood. carry water.

-Lyra Okita

Lyra Okita