About a year ago

I was engaged in a project

Deep in Brazil

I was researching

Why the Amazon

Once flowed

In the opposite direction

From East to West

Instead of from West to East

All went well

Until I badly twisted

My ankle in a fall

I was confined to a village

Which at first bored me

But I soon slowed down

And adopted the way of life

Only one person in the village

Spoke any kind of English

A girl who I called Valerie

As she resembled my sister

Although limited we communicated

And taught each other many things

These were the most peaceful weeks

That I have ever spent and they changed me

I have since informally adopted the village

And have arranged for Valerie and her brother

To receive a formal education in the USA