Who Killed the Elephant

As George Lakoff suggests, it is hard when someone says “don’t think of an elephant” to not think of an elephant.  Recently, there has been an insidious amount of lying for political purposes about animal killing.  This poem is a modest response.  It is from my collection, The Unbreakable Gift.  I hope, when you read it, it helps you keep front of mind who’s doing the killing. 

The Elephant

what about

death of

the other

at the tips

of our fingers

do we let in

the son hunted

the elephant

surrounded

by porters

by guides

by opulence

in the park

in what was left

of the wild

shot the elephant

killed the elephant

cut off the tail

of the elephant

as is the custom of men

of that tribe

wore the symbol

of the elephant

on his shirt

raised the flag

of the

elephant

above the house

hung the head

of the elephant

in his father’s

great hall

by the sea

all mortgaged

and gold

the elephant

who had

walked softly

treaded gently

with grace

with a heart

more human

than the son

or the father

or the father

before them

the son

who had learned

from the war

of the

currents

how to

lie

how to

kill

topsy turvy

with a

switch

does not

love

cannot

love

is not

loved

so he

rants when

he tweets

about nothing

what matters

while the

small herd

of great

sacred beings

mourns

the loss of a

beloved

swaying

unseen

unknown

silently

at the precipice

of extinction