david korte photographs

Saturday, February 18

In the savanna before the Ozouga forest, a skull stares silently to the sky.  In another life, it guided a mangabey as it scampered through the limbs of the towering Ozouga, peering down on elephants feeding below.  It kept a wary eye on the powerful eagle gliding past, called out to friends, warned of intruders, played among the lianas, and drank from forest pools.  It scolded the python, hid from the leopard, shared forest fruits with family.  The skull, weathered by sun and rain, lies glowing in the encroaching shadows, its spirit returned to the forest, wisdom gathered and channeled to the next generation of mangabeys.  They are watching from the Ozouga forest.