Meeting Elephants in Kerala

Later that night

Fireworks would light the sky

Now was peaceful

A nice breeze on a sunny afternoon

Stepping from the car the sound came

The thunder of rushing water

A deception only

As thousands of strands

Of shiny silver streamers

Caught the breeze and shook

For all they were worth

A peaceful cacophony

I follow Jayram's beckoning waves

And broad smile

"Here, here. This way!"

Walking through the parade grounds

Passing the temple

Into the shaded copse of tree

To the presence of magnificence

A beautiful creature

We are introduced

"He is Jayram too!"

Of course he would find this elephant

That shares his name

He is delighted

We are all delighted 

And we are all fast friends

People and elephant in the shade

The new Jayram eyes me lazily

As he manipulates the pile of vegetation

With his incredibly agile and capable proboscis 

Shuffle, move, grasp, break, lift

Then chew and watch and sway 

I am brought closer

Right near his smooth ivory protrusions

A photo op that I don't want to end

I catch his eye

There is something so deep

In the eyes of animals

A story untold

Prevented by a lack of common language

But some things are understood

Some thoughts are shared

It is nice and relaxing to be in the shade

This food is good

And then just something else

With no specific form

Contentment

Or close to it

I leave unwillingly

Knowing that I am

Changed

Better

Suddenly no more than a breeze

Rushing through silver streamers

Leaving something of myself

Humbled