I've had just enough time to... want to ride on an elephant
Taken in a Hindu temple that we stumbled on by accident in Termeloh, Pahang, Malaysia
To ride on an elephant
A sultan not a mahout
High above my subjects
A subject of envy
Feeling like a king
High above all
Till I met a monk wearing
A smile
Walking on bare feet
He did not want
To be on the beast
I can tell
For some reasons
That infuriated me
What pleasure can there be
To ride on an elephant
If others are not envious of me?
So I try to steal his smile
By fraying his skin
Though he cried in pain
As the lashes flew
His spirit could not be broken
As I could his bone
What pleasure can there be
If I cannot submit
Every one to my will?
I rode the elephant back
To the palace
And the rain
Falls on me
The elephant
And the monk that I killed
ReplyDeleteI stumbled upon this Hindu temple by accident. We were to rendezvous with a friend of a friend who will show us where to have the best of the famous "Patin" fish of Termeloh. This town is famed for this fish, (a river fish similar to catfish) and said to be the best in the whole country as well as the best way to cook them. That is another story for another day. The landmark to meet along the road we were on was this temple. While waiting, we got down from the car, wandered into the temple still under renovation with no one guarding it and took a few shots. When we see a decorated elephant, our first feeling is that we want to ride it. That is fine but how will we imagine ourselves on the elephant if it is not a bare back one and we have the power of choice and what will be the feelings we will be having? And will we be corrupted by it? We may not go so far as murder but how far will we extend the feelings of superiority over our less fortunate subjects...
Sunciti _ Sundaram's Images + Messages
I like that Concept Clicking The Clicker, It Makes The Image A Story Telling One.
Visit Any Temple Of God, You will have plenty of Clicking Opportunity.qne
Well done my friend Have A Peaceful Day.
★ineedathis added this photo to his favorites.
Very beautiful work of art Thou, well captured!
Have a lovely Sunday!
GlobeTrotter 2000
Stunning shot !
ho.ge
very beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
★ho.ge added this photo to her favorites.
so beautiful!!!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteserafin_moreno_alvarez
Fantastica,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,
★onasill added this photo to his favorites. (8 hours ago)
Well caught and magnificent colors. My compliments
onasill
Have a wonderful day Thou-San
★Franco Marconi and henrhyde (gill) added this photo to their favorites.
henrhyde (gill)
Beautifully composed.
Great clarity.
Yes --we may aspire for more--however this is only for us --brings no more contentment.
★Pagan Eyes and october blue ( away ) added this photo to their favorites.
october blue
Very nice color and composition, a wonderful image ! I also like the thought-provoking poem . As for myself, I am more than happy just to enjoy the beauty of this fine elephant without needing to ride it .
It has been a joy to see your fine photos and read your excellent essays and poems in 2012 !. Thanks so much for sharing....wishing you and your family a happy end of year :-)
Kathy_9
I've never ridden on an elephant but if I did I don't think I would feel superior. I think instead that I would feel blessed that the elephant would allow me to ride. :-)
ana_lee_smith
Have never ridden an elephant, have never been in the situation where the option to do so presented itself. But I did ride a camel inTunisia. More than once. A gentle if somewhat ungainly creature & a comfortable ride..... far more so than I was expecting. I don't know about feeling superior but most definitely I felt privileged to have the opportunity of such an experience so far removed from my usual mode of transportation *~* Lovely shot & evocative poem, thou!
★ana_lee_smith added this photo to her favorites.
Andrew 62
beautiful picture and thoughtful text about humility and compassion