Elephants

When the first elephant stepped in the room
It was easy for me to step aside,
To carry on a conversation
With only occasional nervous glances
At the elephant,
Wondering when you would chase it out.

When the seconded came blundering in
I stepped back,
But I could still shout when I wanted to talk to you,
And speculate about the absurdity
Of the elephants in the room.

When the third came charging in
It pinned me against the wall,
And it was no longer possible to see you
Or hear you;
I could only gasp at the weight
Of a gray rump that squeezed my heart,
And I cried at the thought
Of the room we once shared.

I know we’re not supposed to think about
The elephants in the room,
But I don’t even know who you are any more.
The elephants may be ten times my size,
But for once in my life I’m going to ignore etiquette
And push back,
Simply because
I miss you.