Elephant Rug

Elephant Rug


I received a large box by mail at the door
containing a strange pink and gray elephant
rug which was laid on my bedroom floor;
my grandmother’s gift left me reticent.

My eyes widened with growing dismay;
for on the high-polished floor by my bed
lay the thing, a seemingly innocent gray
strange oval rug with an elephant head.

The elephant rug was to stay in my room;
mother announced as she stood with me there;
I felt my heart fill with utter dark gloom
as those elephant eyes seemed to stare.

Routinely tucked into bed with a hug,
cocooned myself tightly within the sheet -
I dreamed of that terrible elephant rug,
convinced that I heard a real heartbeat.

The dream-elephant rose up, pink ears wide,
long trunk extended past black marble eyes;
and even though I had no place to hide,
sheets were protection that I devised.

Awoke in the morning, my mother appeared,
alarmed at the absence of the elephant rug
recalling my dream, those eyes I had feared;
rug locked in my closet, I gave a shrug.





Julie A. Dickson