Julien Strong (they/them) is the author of two full-length poetry collections, The Mouth of Earth and Tour of the Breath Gallery, and two novels. Julien’s poetry has appeared in many journals, including The Nation, The Southern Review, Poetry Daily, River Styx, Southwest Review, and The Sun. They teach creative writing at Central Connecticut State University and live in Hamden, CT with their family.
ELEPHANT by Julien Strong
Monday, 10 April 2023
Something so heavy with meaning
all we can do is drag
our hands across the surface
itching to define to fix
as a compass point
navigating what
I thought I understood
because I lived within its skin
and yet
stroking the trunk
fingering a fold
I understand nothing
not even the shape
let alone the name
even the tracks it leaves in its wake
keep changing
and look
in each depression
the falling rain
becomes sea
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