Costa Rica: Osa Peninsula

La Sirena to La Leona.
what?  A tough walk.
19 kilometers, possibly
a little more or less.
the BBC is there filming about
remote spots on the planet.
primordial as well as 2nd growth
forests and palm groves along
the incredible beaches,
salty crocs resting without bathing
suits or dark sun glasses; no Calvin
Klein sightings, unsurprisingly.
the Puma is top of the food chain,
stalking at night when black is black.
Cappuccino monkeys, spider monkeys,
and squirrel monkeys,
run up and down tree trunks and branches
like a bunch of monkeys, flipping their
tails, grabbing a bite, holding a baby
or two or more while the tapir looks on
with slow amusement, without a saddle,
unafraid of man, untamed, uncombed.
and coatimundis, toucans, parrots, and scarlet macaws.
huge, brightly-colored butterflies and
meticulous spiders seemingly unaware of the
scalding sun, the persistent mosquitoes,
the hungry ticks, and the lack of flushing
toilets with perfectly sanitary paper within
an easy reach of a sweaty hand.
but then, the early 19th century explorers had no
modern conveniences, either.
a rain moistens everything.  the birds shake.
noise and silence sleeping together like exhausted lovers,
and the jungle sighs.