Elephantine Error
ELEPHANTINE ERROR
”That’s not my elephant!”
She said loudly between mouthfuls of spaghetti.
Ella was one of my 2nd graders,
And we had just discussed the Bill of Rights,
And were taking our lunch break.
Some kid said Democrats were better than Republicans
‘Cos donkeys were better than elephants.
Seemed to me a good enough reason to prefer
One useless party over another.
Then they were trading pictures, hand-drawn,
Of party symbols, and Ella was indignant
Cos another girl said her (messy) picture of an elephant
Was better, anatomically speaking, than Ella’s
(messy) skinny elephant pic, adding sarcastically
That this inferior pachyderm was no doubt called “Ella”.
Then Ella yelled, between mouthfuls of spaghetti,
But I’m a Democrat and this is my donkey !
I knew then that party allegiance
Was going to be a lifelong thing for Ella.
Couldn’t be known as Ella the Elephant,
Every time she held up her poster at conventions.
Copyright © Sidney Beck | Year Posted 2010
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