Crying Elephants

I ride on the backs of the pachyderms
and whisper in their ear
you should escape from the circus
blend into the crowd
as they exit the big top

later that day . . .

the crowd is silent
their voice boxes have been stolen
and placed

in Pandora’s box in Pandora’s box in Pandora’s box

put their screams
in recycled brown paper bags
the one used to hold the peanuts
thrown to the elephants

I sold the brown paper bags
to neighbor kids
leave them burning
at the front doors
of 100 clowns
each clown will stomp
his big red shoes
on a burning brown bag
realizing to late
its filled with the screams
of the audience they make laugh
night after night

elephants
stack the peanuts end over end
climb out of their trapped minds
slip over the wall
however
they never make it
the peanut shells break and crumble
under the tremendous weight
of their emotions and
memories of
being held captive
walk the middle passage
into the big top
under the bright lights
night after night

the neighbor hood kids run away fast
splashing about ankle deep
in puddles of sadness
left by the crying elephants

jrg 2/11/06
Copyright © 2009 by Jeff R. Ghee