Her hand looked like elephant’s skin—

rough, wrinkled.

 Eyes, elephant wise.

I didn’t view her from one side of a glass

              as she sat in her natural habitat,

              but watched her unrestricted,

Touched her cheek to harvest tears.

 

Resting on my fingers,

                glistening diamonds,

I wanted to put them away, safe

               in my memory box

So fragile and precious.

 

Mine, desert eyes with

              A heavy heart,

Your heart elixir spilling from

            watery blues fell like clarity

            and a free soul.

I wanted to drown in your serenity.

 

Soft patters of delicate feet

Quietly attested to

Tenuous heartbeats as I rested my

Stone head

Against your bird-boned chest.

 

Yet still elephant strong,

Persistent against

                Lion fierce forces that

                take, and take and take.

They break and break and break

               and wreak havoc

               on carefully constructed infrastructure.

 

I desired to free you,

               hunt your foes

but practiced fingers,

               harmony hands held

              my fiery shoulders and cooled

my heated brow with gentle scolding.

 

Your life, elephant long, taught you what

battles could be won.

Elephant feet made journeys I could

never know across

blistering Sahara sand,

Callouses formed that time smoothed away.

A gem, polished in a fire.

 

Scars across your surface remind

              Where you’ve been—

              Spear marks on your elephant skin.

 

Cool breath upon my stubborn ear,

              your voice awakens ancient fears:

              forever I long to hear your sound

but your tired body longs for the ground.

 

Peace you extol,

comfort you croon

and my still sturdy body lays

Crumpled in wiry weakening arms. 

 

Gentleness, you murmur,

Courage, you conclude

and your elephant strength

washes over me and

gives me grace.

 

I can taste the sweetness of your kiss as you rest lips against my naïve brow. Elephant blessing.