Night
and the Elephant
- K. Satchidanandan (India)
In Coorg it is hard to know
the elephant from the night.
You think it is night; but
do not find the moon.
You think it is the tusker; but
do not find its tusks.
Is it that the night and the elephant
gave up both as they could not tell
the moon's curve from the tusk’s?
But this intense fragrance, mixed,
of sugarcane, wild berries and
the Queen of the Night blossoming
in moonlight: is it the night's scent
or the elephant's?