In Kruger Park

We came across you feeding
hulking mass intent on
vegetable ecstasy
solemnly demolishing
branches, stripping leaves,
stripping and stuffing.
Loxodanta Africana,
pillared colossus
of the rootling trunk,
your snout seeks out
the sweet-sapped cherry
on the darkest nights.
You pause at our approach,
great pastry ears rolled out
pulse back and forth
like seaweed in the tide.
You feed, groping scrunching
stuffing chomping
and fix us with your amber eye
thick-crusted speck
oasis in your dry gray acres,
then lumber on.

Copyright © 2001 The President and Fellows of Harvard College.
All rights reserved. Comments. Last modified Thu, Sep 20, 2001.