With Careful Stride & Gentle Sway
… he set the pace of yesterday,
I rode upon an elephant,
by name of Raja Khan.
His pedigree was excellent,
the pride of Pakistan.
.
In stature he was solid,
a figure fine and firm.
As strong as he was stolid,
an impressive pachyderm.
.
Aloof and somewhat nervous,
he earned his reputation,
through dedicated service
to palace transportation.
.
With careful stride and gentle sway
he set the pace of yesterday.
.
© Tim Grace, 10 May 2010 (Revised: 8 June 2021)
About the Creator
Tim Grace
A first impression has a lasting effect - it makes a notable difference. In a subtle way that’s who I am as a poet. A ‘first impression’ looking for the gentle ‘twist’ that draws attention to a novel observation.
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Comments (1)
To the reader: I imagine days of empire being stiff as starch; stodgy. Stifled by establishment that imposed upon the underclassses rigid rules and regulations designed to further entrench the advantages of birth and social position. But, attached to my construction of the past is a stolid image best portrayed by the permanence of a slow moving pachyderm. In the elephant's gentle sway I see remnants of a yesterday when circumspect rhythms gave poise to forward motions. To the poet: A simple little poem, neat and compact; some might say trite. A parlor painting lost of real significance but nonetheless holding its place on the wall as it has done for many generations. The very short lines are packed with alliteration and because of brevity tend to over emphasize the forced rhymings. In an attempt to help the narrative flow unbroken through the sonnet I've given it no punctuation ... save the final period.