The elephant is reprehensibly couth,
he eats what he knows with his nose and his mouth.
You would never guess his delightful pursuit,
because of his ponderous gray flannel suit,
which gives the impression despite his great size,
he’s more a businessman in a disguise,
who never looks harried or flustered or base,
and carries a prehensile attache case.
He’s really a lovable overgrown kid,
but if you play hide-and-seek with him, stay hid.
written in 1973
to J.J., a Loxodontaphile/2020