Aster Minor

i met an old gray
elephant one time you see
she was all alone

waiting for a train.
do you have a light, ma'am?
i asked and she smiled.

you shouldn't smoke she
told me disapprovingly
if you don't want to

end up with skin like
this as she smoothed some wrinkles
with her trunk, frowning

but she most deftly
lit my cigarette thank you
i said i've never

met an elephant
before that is funny i
never met a girl

she paused well not one
so perceptive and bright as
you which made me laugh

i like you what do
they call you i asked with a
sidelong glance at her

aster minor at
your service dear thing
perhaps you can help

of course anything
i said looking up at her
giant gray sad eye

in an instant it
spilled tears down her cheek which hit
my outstretched hand

what is it aster
surely it can't be that bad
but it is she said

i don't remember
what i am here waiting for
or why i am here

aren't you waiting
for a train here same as i
am or perhaps some

sort of circus train
which circus do you belong
to i asked drying

her cheek none she said
indignant i may not be sure
exactly what i

am doing here but
one thing i know is i am
aster minor queen

of my people my
tribe must be lost without me
well calm down my dear

i'm sure they'll survive
no it's a matriarchy
don't you know a thing

about elephants?
well no i said i didn't
even know you could

speak, aster. i was
quite taken aback to be
honest with you, now

one thing i thought i'd
heard about elephants was
you are supposed to

have an amazing
memory. yes she exclaimed
yes i remember

that! aster minor,
the elephant with the worst
memory on earth.

good i said i'm glad
you remember now let's try
to figure out why

you are here waiting
for a train i said peering
into her big gray

eye which blinked once
and spilled more tears i think
i think i know now

well what is it, why?
she drew her trunk up to my
face and heaved a sigh

nevermind sweet girl
no, tell me, aster minor
i insist i said

i was a queen once
i know that much but it was
long ago maybe

i am now in a
circus i don't know but i
know i am all lost

and my tribe is gone
i don't remember their names
not even their names

and i remember
that i am old and wrinkled
fat and forgetful

and a queen without
a people is an empty
shell so i came here

just to end it all
i see i said that is twice
now you have left me

taken aback and
i know that's no easy task,
lady elephant

i apologize
she sniffled i forgot that
we aren't to talk

to humans i guess
you figured that much out my
girl stand aside now

here comes my train and
i don't intend to miss this
one after all i

will forget again
in a moment really i
said well that's a shame

because i could use
another light could you help
a human girl out?

of course she said and
gave me a light and i smoked
in silence until

the train barreled by
i gazed in that big gray eye.
a moment later

hello, i said i
can't help but wonder why an
elephant is here

waiting for a train
i was about to ask you
said aster minor

well there's a circus
in town i assume you are
lost. what is my name

she asked me with a
stare why are you asking me
lady elephant?

and i took her by
the trunk and walked towards
the circus grounds with

a queen without a
tribe a sad fat wrinkled gray
elephant alone

thank you, she told me
shush, lady elephant i
think you aren't to

speak to us. i know.
i remember now. well you
know forgetting is

easier sometimes.
i walked in silence with tears
streaming out of both

of our big gray eyes,
aster minor the lady
elephant and i.