There’s an elephant in the room.
There’s an elephant in the room.
It is large and squatting,
so it is hard to get around it.
Yet, we squeeze by with,
"how are you" and "I’m fine..."
and a thousand other forms of
trivial chatter.
we talk about everything else
except the elephant in the room.
We all know it’s there.
We are thinking about the
elephant as we talk.
It is constantly on our minds.
For you see, it is a very
big elephant.
But we do not talk about
the elephant in the room.
Oh, please, somebody say
my child’s name
Oh, please, say it again
Oh, please, let’s talk about
the elephant in the room.
For if we talk about their death,
perhaps we can talk about
their life.
Can I say their name...
and not have you look away?
For if I cannot,
you are leaving me alone...
In a room...
with an elephant.
~Author Unknown~
December 19, 1977 ~ March 31, 1978