NEEDLING

The elephants grew one of top of the other
not knowing any better
or any different, they grew thinking
nothing of it
other than a little discomfort which they felt guilty
about expressing to one another
on hot summer nights.

Twenty one elephants
in one large room
growing from infancy
as they are undoubtedly bound to do
quickly limiting the extra space in the room
shrinking it at an alarming rate.

The elephants
not knowing of any outside, any other world
lived only day to day
whishing they’d stop taking on weight and pounds of flesh
growing like mountains inside a cave
taking shape of legs surrounding flesh
limbs various and unrecognizable stretching out
making way between belly and sex
trunks and ears
restrained only by other limbs doing the same
in the opposite direction
creating a great big room-size Elephant fill
as in a shrimp crepe étouffe
filled with cream and melting cheese.