The elephant stands at a crossroads
in this town at the edge of the desert.
The people and their vehicles sputter hotly.
My driver is resigned.
His accent sings
“This is the only road.
When the elephant allows us
we will move again.”
In the choking wind he lights a cigarette.
Possibly delirious,
I walk into the crowd
to admire the working elephant
who remembered at a crossroads
he is the biggest.
Laurie Fraser
Udaipur, India
