Read Poems by Nolan Bly

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Pink Elephants

Don’t think about the pink elephant

Dammit!

Being told not to is one thing
Deciding you won’t is entirely another

I must not think about the pink elephant
I simply don’t have time
I’ve got plenty to work on, Lord knows
I really don’t have the time

Not until January at least
When I’m doing a little less
But here I am in August
Daydreaming

How is it that just weeks ago I was fine?
Recovering, maybe, from last time
But now they’re everywhere
Pink elephants

Probably because I told myself not to bother
No surer way to make it so
Suddenly they appear at every turn
How did I miss them before?

A week ago I saw one
Making eyes at another guy
I briefly wanted to kill him
But I spun on my heel and there is another

I need to focus
Or I'll start dropping classes
I realize I haven’t been praying
God, this is miserable

But in January I’ll be done
No more classes
No more volunteering for a while
Just work

And I’m afraid there won’t be any more
Pink elephants

Copyright © Nolan Bly | Year Posted 2026

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