she's the one that convinced me that elephants could swim
i didn't believe it before
how these huge clumsy animals could stay afloat
legs like petrified tree trunks
she showed me though
took me deep into the jungle one wednesday after work
jelly donuts in our bellies and our work clothes muddy
we found the lake where the herd reunited each week
"see," she whispered in my ear, "like whales with floppy ears."

each wednesday became a sort of a tradition
in the mornings we sent memos and refilled printer cartridges
attended meetings and crossed out lines on agendas
as soon as the sun hid behind the buildings we were off
cold grass clawing at our bare feet as we vanished into the trees
it is there that i saw the world as it is
a realm where possibility prevails.



she left me this past wednesday
left me waiting at the gas station and never came back
these elephants don't swim when she's not around
some sink, but most just steer clear of the water altogether
i've tried to tell people but no one believes me
i don't know, it's only been one week
maybe it was an off day
but she's not coming back
and i don't know if they'd ever swim for just me