Elephant ride, Phnom Penh

The children are riding an elephant.
They look fretful at first
for the elephant is huge and lumbering,
stronger than ten men
and could easily turn nasty.
Hard to tell from its blinkered eyes
what its intentions are.
Better to expect the worst.

One child, who doesn’t really want to be up there
is crying now. Others force a smile.
The elephant plods on, head down,
ears flapping furiously,
leading Sihanouk’s children to a destination
they did not choose
nor could ever imagine.