Chased by elephant

The open plains of Tanzania, speak
words of dust and dry heat.
call to the rain, seeking relief
the grass lands dance to hand drummer hymns
herds advance across the open space, chased by hunger and thirst.

we leave the road and cross the plain
shift into first and ride the terrain
the grass is high, river surprise, hidden crossing.
The crocodile seizes life in a death roll grimace
we hit the water and come up across, forgiven.
the mighty baobab trees stand like twisted Goliaths
sentinels who witness, the exchange of pure life moment by minute.

A mother African elephant, full grown
with a mask of animosity and a baby in tow.
the ground quakes.  pillars stamp.
fury becomes rage, tusks become swords
the trunk smack, an exploding bomb. we are now warned, advancing attack.
a hurricane of flesh and bone crushing doom. the guide steps on the gas, not a moment to soon. We fly from the danger, we rush to escape, we tear around a Boulder, some trees and an ape.

And then we scream out of joy, seeming insane as we ask our guide please please more, do it again.