Knysna has Risen

Crumb hopped down the grassy bank and hurtled through bushes of sunset-pink proteas. At the bottom of the garden, just by a pond full of Irises, he found Aloe swishing her feet through the sunny water. A couple of partridges on long legs spread their toes in the warm water, but fussed and flapped away, squawking, as Crumb bounced over to Aloe.

‘What a beautiful day.’ He said, slipping into the pool beside her.

Aloe looked up at the blue sky, at the fully-leaved branches of the trees on the hill, at the doe that passed through the bushes like a shadow, and at the bees that whizzed back and forth through the garden, and finally she smiled at Crumb.

‘Yes, what a gorgeously, beautiful day it is.’

2020 marked the third year since the Knysna Fires. Since then, the Knysna and Brenton community has rested, healed and risen from the wildfire ashes. Today, everywhere you look, fresh green sprouts and leaves have overrun the burn scar. Despite the skeletons of the old trees and bushes, one can hardly imagine that it is the same little town.

- Ilonka