A very unimportant subject

[Stephen Whiteside]

Nice work, David.

I was going to say, "It's irrelevant", but then I remembered the deathless words of Flanders (or was it Swann?):

"It's not irrelevant, it's a hippopotamus."

So that's what it must be.

Of course, the elephant in the room is a metaphorical elephant, isn't it. It might be illegal to put an elephant in a room, but it's not illegal to put a metaphorical elephant in a room. The laws aren't quite so strict for metaphorical elephants, apparently. I don't know exactly why. The reasons are lost in history (and that's a terrible place to get lost).

Metaphorical elephants come under the auspices of the Bureau of Metaphorology, naturally enough. They issue warnings such as: "There is a strong elephant warning between Wilsons Promontory and Gabo Island". I wouldn't want to meet a strong elephant off Gabo Island, even if it was metaphorical.

I think I'd rather meet a great white at the Skerries. Wouldn't you?

[Heather]

I'm so relieved Stephen. Have you tried out the new hat yet? Does it have a toggle to hold it on or do you need a scarf?

[David Campbell]

An elephant and hippopotamus
are almost certainly dichotomous,
although the one equipped for trumpeting
quite lacks a horn and can't go clumpeting…

through mud, mud, glorious mud,
nothing quite like it for cooling the blood,
so follow me, follow,
down to the hollow,
and there let us wallow
in glorious mud!

Memories, memories…

And Heather, what else would Stephen use for his hat but a chinstrap?

[Peely]

Poor little penguin...

[Stephen Whiteside]

Scarf?

[warooa]

To add a perspective to the unimportant angle of this thread:

[Stephen Whiteside]

Marty,

I am glad you could plant
This unusual slant
On a bronze elephant.
There are some who would rant
It is meaningless cant,
But there's more who would grant
It's a strong stimulant
That can also enchant.

Stephen

[Vic Jefferies]

Stephen, perhaps you should consider rising a little later in the day.

[warooa]

Apparently . . . it is the kuril (the native water rat) that this piece of art is all about (I can't see it). According to the New Zealand artist:

The Kuril is the real elephant in the room and the real animator of the spectacle we see before us. It is the Kuril who is the caretaker and who is responsible for upending this elephant with all its cultural and intellectual weight.’

Mmm . . . okay? In the dying days of the former ALP govt, to prove their fiscal responsibility they signed off on this million dollar book-end.

[r.magnay]

...lucky you got rid of them Marty, they might have been putting in an order for the other end one!