E is for Elephant

 

One day I saw an elephant.

His eyes were full of tears.

He sat beneath a baobab

And hid inside his ears.

 

His mother came and stood with him

She offered him a pear.

What’s wrong? she asked, My little one?

Are you alright in there?

 

I’m no good as an elephant

He said, and blew his trunk.

I can’t remember anything.

I’ve thunk and thunk and thunk.

 

No elephant ever forgets

They never have to think.

It’s what we’re for; it’s what we do;

It keeps us in the pink.

 

So you don’t remember yesterday?

Or the fight at Waterloo?

Or the coldness of last winter?

Or what tsetse flies can do?

 

No. No. It’s all a total blank.

I’ll have to go away.

And wander lonely on the plain

For ever and a day…

 

My darling dear, his mother said,

Cheer up, don’t be forlorn.

You just forgot one thing, that’s all:

You’ve only just been born.