POETRY                                                                                               (Copyright - Pierre du Toit)
                                                ...................................................................................................................................................................

                              Exile

(Death of the only elephant
                                      in the Milan Zoo
                                      in a heavy snowfall in January 1987)
                                      The granite beast
                                      with glass-red eyes
                                      which burnt within its grey-black bulk
                                      was taken to a touch
                                      so cold so white so
                                      distant from a dust-red sun
                                      it froze
                                      and beneath the weight of ash-light air
                                      it broke

                                      and died


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