-Ism Explained

Regarding this proverbial
Elephant In The Room:

there’s an Elephant in this room,
one in every room in fact,
and more than a few outside.

If you’re looking out the window
and you see an Elephant,
you say, “Hey! An Elephant!
Man, I’m glad there’s not one
in here!  I’d better not
go outside!”

You won’t see
The Elephant In Your Room
because you’re so busy watching
the one outside
for fear of it getting in.

If you do turn around
and see
The Elephant In The Room,

you’ll say,
“Hey!  An Elephant!
How’d that get in here?
What the fuck am I supposed
to do now?”

And you’ll sit very still
hoping the Elephant
doesn’t see you.

Unless, of course,
you’re inside
The Elephant,
in which case
you see nothing
at all, and don’t even know
it’s an Elephant.

Or, of course,
you could be
riding the Elephant:
directing it, training it
to be omnipresent,
invisible, rank
and ancient,
quiet and looming over
everyone, a utilitarian
threat
to break out
and mess
with everyone’s shit
big time,
all the time fully aware
that it doesn’t even need
to go rogue
to tear shit up,

and either way,
you’ll still be on top.