Elephants and Trees

By Cliff Lake

 

Elephants and Trees

 

They said there used to be real elephants once,

Bigger than the tents we live in!

They said there used to be elephants once,

But those stories are older than the tribe.

 

They said that trees were shoulder to shoulder once,

That they would blot out the sun!

They said there were more trees once,

But what proof is there of that?

 

They said that corn grew everywhere once,

That it didn’t come from the bosses!

They said you could grow your own corn once,

But where would the water come from?

 

They said you could live in the cities once,

That you could live inside the buildings!

They said the cities did not kill you once,

But everyone dies of radiation.

 

They said that the sky used to be blue once,

That you could breathe without a filter!

They said that there was good air once,

But I’m too old for children’s stories.

 

They said you could go where you wanted once,

That there weren’t muties in the dark!

They said things were safer once,

But I keep my weapons sharp.

 

They said that you didn’t have to hunt food once,

That some even grew on trees!

They said that there was enough food once,

But all I know is starving faces.

 

They said that there were elephants once…

 

Cliff Lake 4/11/2025

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2025

Location: Wichita, KS, USA

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