An Elephant For Aristotle Poem by Tony Jolley

Whatever possessed him? –

King of the greater half of the Earth in his mid twenties,
Founding force behind wonders of the world:
The Library at Alexandria
And the Pharos,
Now both lost to antiquity
And almost consigned to the realm of mythology
But for intriguing slivers of surviving history.

Whatever possessed him? –

Of all the riches of countless conquered nations
On three continents,
Of all the jewels and marvels of life and learning,
Of all this,
What does he see fit to send to his old friend and teacher,
To Aristotle...?

An elephant.
An elephant!

Not the easiest of parcels to freight, I'll warrant,
But why on earth [or on Alexander's half of it] an elephant?
I don't suppose it would have fit in the schoolroom.
Was it a sort of an outsize playground prank:
A power-play from the student-turned-master –
A sort of apple-for-the-teacher
Any ruler of the known world might send? ...
... Or perhaps a bit of 'payback'
For his having published the keys to the learning 'kingdom'
Which his prodigy feared might inspire threat and competition?

Fine present or fit of pique....?
Either way, I hope he also shipped a shovel.