Ask her to dance, gently.
She’s been waiting all night for someone to ask her Standing there in her pink tulle gown That sweeps the floor and tangles in her brittle tail. The tail - straw-like - flicks from side to side in time with the waltz An oom-pah-pah of swishing tulle Oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah May I have this dance? It’s a good moment to ask The orchestra has crescendo-ed, and reaches a tentative hush And you speak it out into the quiet “May I have this dance?” and hold out your hand. Gently, gently. Gently she takes it, and lets you lead her out into the center of the dance floor. The lights are dim, and the sequins on the bodice of her dress sparkle softly As she gets into position And you put your hand on her waist. Gently. It’s lovely to dance with an elephant Because she is sturdy and solid And has a perfect understanding of rhythm Yes, she’s got two left feet But she’s also got two right feet Four perfect feet perfectly trampling in time to the oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah. So you let her take the lead And it’s good to let go sometimes, isn’t it? While she whirls you around the dance floor And lifts you with her trunk. It wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time, she arrived at the waltz club Eager and expectant in somber black silk Her puff of straw tail done up in a bow And she waited all night for someone to ask her Standing there in her somber black gown Gently, so gently. And she swayed in the lamplight And flickered her tail And nobody asked her, or saw her, or cared. And as the orchestra crescendo-ed, and drew to a sudden hush She heard it like a slap, like a scoff, like cut “What do you do with an Elephant” Well I say: it’s simple. You ask her to dance. You reach for her hand. Gently, gently. After all, opportunity knocks seldom, then rarely, then not. And it’s lovely, so lovely, unbearably lovely To dance with an elephant.
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