Across the great broad hinterland of China
sits a green leathery elephant back,
with turreted wall’s watchtowers
yielding a view, valley-wide,
Here sat the ancient command post’s garrison,
keeping guard over valley’s boundaries,
spying for invading army hordes,
lighting a signal post to sound the alarm.
Till today, it sits, and waits,
ancient, green, fertile, silent
the valley of the elephant,
crowns the sky with it’s leathery
elephantine wisdom.