Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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Being Touched by an Elephant's Trunk. As a child, I adored animals of all kinds. I studied the behavior, flight and silhouettes of the birds around me. I had a worm farm in a big jar, Watching as they created ever-more tunnels next to the glass. I observed as my rabbits mated, the buck falling over in ecstasy. (I did not know then, that the act of mating, Caused the spontaneous ovulation of the female.) I saw the female pulling her breast hair to line a soft nest. So many things for a young biologist to observe and take in. My mother knew of my love for animals And would take us to the Benson's Animal Farm in NH; Of course, there were myriads of creatures for a youngster to see-- Reptiles, lions, African antelope, owls and an elephant. One time, I approached the young tethered Asian pachyderm, And stood in front of it--only a small chain fence separating us. I reached out and the youngster extended its trunk. What occurred then is now a blur in my mind. But I felt its trunk curling around my hand-- Just the prehensile end it used to grasp food. It pulled me gently, but firmly towards itself. I was awakened, but not fearful. We held that position for a few moments, And then it let go--the soft wet end falling away. Was this lonely elephant pulling me in, Telling me that it desired to be free, To tear off branches and to shower itself with dust? I am not sure, but my young self, after that intimate moment, Always felt an affinity for the last two of the many elephant species Which roamed our earth in past evolutionary times Will these two huge pachyderm species actually survive The ravages of the ever-expanding Homo sapiens Across its diminishing homeland? Frank Maurer 19 December 2025 0230 Hours.