Acrobats and Elephants by Brian Finlay

I can remember a time,

The grass waving hellos at the passing clouds

And the songs of pristine nature playing melodies musicians didn't dare to imprison

The waves would lap gently against my feet, buried in the sand

            Never riled nor enraged

            They rolled onto and over each other

            Like the acrobats at the circus

                        The one where you got to ride the elephant

                        And feed it peanuts as it hugged you tight

The simple things were simpler.

Now I only remember the present

The constant fear of the unknown

            That presses sharply against the mind

The grief and mourning each day

            That weighs too heavy, a burden on my heart

But the most frightening;

Do the clouds ever say hello back?

And are the waves still elephants?