Star-Gazer Poem by Peter Elliott

Fine was the weather
Few were the clouds
And not much wind.

An ideal night to spend up on the summit
Of Lions Head in Cape Town,
The smaller mountain
That joins onto Table Mountain
Near where the cable car
Carries awe-struck tourists
To the top

It was already dark
When, bearing sleeping bag,
And foam mattress
I commenced my ascent
From my flat
In Tamboerskloof
On the lower flanks of the mountain.

Soon I was following the spiral path
That leads the climber gently to the top
Viewing in turn the evening lights
First of Sea Point
Then the city stretching to the east
Then Camps Bay.

Arriving at the top
I found a conveniently level ledge
On which to place my sleeping bag
And lay down to spend the night
Gazing at the slowly circling
Spangled sky
Of stars.

(19May94 2.45pm, Melbourne, Australia)