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His plane crashed in the jungle months ago
All that was salvageable was a pad and pen
Carefully placed in his back pocket
So he could still scribble his erratic verse

He lived off fruits, berries
And when lucky a sporadic lizard

He kept moving onward to the horizon
Hoping to find his way out of the jungle maze

One day, he saw smoke rising
And cautiously moved closer

He could see a village
Below the treetops

Along a stream
Men were fishing
And women cooking
Smelled so good

A child noticed him and pointed to the elders
Who ran to him so quickly
He had no chance of escape

They gestured to him “come”
He had to obey
Their spears and arrows were many

To his surprise he was greeted
With smiles and amazement
For they had never seen a man
With a diamond in his ear
And whose face shined like the moon

They danced and celebrated
Around the campfire with song and feast
A night of pure wonder

He took much pleasure from their hospitality
From their splendor and awe
And watched with amazement
How they loved to draw
On animal hide with colors of mud

One day, he witnessed how they bowed and prayed
To an idol carved from a tree trunk
Surrounded by rhinoceros horns
And beautiful feathers

Their faith seemed as devout as any other
He had known back home

One night, he was wakened by loud voices and shrills
He looked out his hut and saw a man being killed

He could not believe what he was seeing
They tied the man’s torn body with ropes
And placed him into the fire

“Oh my god! They’re cannibals!
Consuming each other!”

Their peaceful exterior
Was only an illusion

So as the villagers feasted
He silently slipped out of the village

For he determined it was far safer to face
The dangers of the outer jungle alone