ELEPHANT

web | Black book of the Endangered Species

Termites too
have a land of their own.
They dwell in Babylonian towers
hundreds of stories high.

But in the world of the elephant
there are no termites.

Walking unaware
this warm shortsighted mountain
accidentally treads upon
the termites' hunting grounds.

A detachment of border guards
goes up his trunk
to reconnoiter.
The elephant sneezes and wonders
when he caught a cold.

Then like prophetic thrills
the billions crawl over him.

They work on the elephant restlessly.
Until he is dismembered into grit:
until he is finally translated
into the land
of termites.

© Vladimir Levchev
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© Електронно издателство LiterNet, 12.10.2004
Владимир Левчев. Черна книга на застрашените видове. / Black Book of the Endangered Species. Варна: LiterNet, 2004

Други публикации:
Владимир Левчев. Черна книга на застрашените видове. / Black Book of the Endangered Species. USA by Word Works <http://wordworksdc.com>, Washington, 1999.