White Elephant

Hail the beast which passeth
all others in “wit and mind.”
-- Aristotle

There it stands―
sallow, unclean mess
lying on the floor
mother swept after
taking care of the laundry
―trunk slithering foul;
arrogant and loafing.
Plumpish limbs of three
base to the house (some
five-foot filth
dusting the walls)
spraying putrid ardor

and one pointing
as if with forceful
edict― see:
its sharp ivory tusk
push while she
puts on new
bed sheets.