Elephant, why do you stray?
Don’t you know to stay within the boundaries of the paper park man drew up for you?
Elephant, why do you raid?
Our pumpkins, our okra, spinach and maize
Don’t you see we must convert every vacant space
into human food?
Elephant, why do you guzzle?
Our dammed rivers, our fishponds, our livestock’s watering holes
We will deter you with fire, with honeybee stings, dogs and drums, electric shocks and chili-oil walls
wage war on you
Elephant, don’t move, don’t eat, don’t drink
Give us your white shining ivory
Which we will shape into trinkets, balls, piano keys
Better yet, we will trade it for bullets
Wage war on each other
Elephant?
