Poem: The Elephant in the Room

I came across this poem and even though this one is about death I think it can apply to almost anything. I remember when my first bishop started talking to me about going to counseling and he talked about the "elephant in the room" syndrome.

*Author unknown
There's an elephant in the room.
It is large and squatting,
So it is hard to get around it.

Yet we squeeze by with,
"How are you?" and "I'm fine."
And a thousand other
Forms of trivial chatter.

We talk about the weather
We talk about work.
We talk about everything else
Except the elephant in the room.

There's and elephant in the room.
We all know it is there.
We are thinking about the elephant
As we talk together.

It is constantly on our minds.
For, you see, it is a very big elephant.
It has hurt us all, but we do not talk
About the elephant in the room.

Oh, please say her name.
Oh, please, say "Barbara" again.
Oh, please let's talk about
The elephant in the room.
For if we talk about her death,
perhaps we can talk about her life.
Can I say, "Barbara" to you
And not have you look away?
For if I cannot, then you are
Leaving me alone...in a room...
With an elephant.


Mom's death has been much like the poem. Actually anyone in my family once they pass away.