'Elephant Dormitory' by Russell Edson


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An elephant went to bed and pulled a crazy quilt up under
its tusks.

But just as the great gray head began filling with the gray
wrinkles of sleep it was awakened by the thud of its tail
falling out of bed.

Would you get my tail? said the elephant to another
elephant also tucked up under a crazy quilt.

I was just in the gray wrinkles of my sleep, sighed the other
elephant.

But I can't sleep without my tail, said the first elephant, I
like it stuck just above my anus; I feel more secure that way,
that it holds my anus from drifting out to heaven.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Elephant Dormitory: A Literary Analysis

Holy smokes, have you guys read Elephant Dormitory by Russell Edson? It's like nothing I've ever read before! I mean, sure, it's a poem, but it's so much more than that. It's like a surreal dreamscape come to life on the page. So, let's dive in and see what this weird and wonderful poem is all about.

The Poem

First off, let's take a look at the poem itself. Elephant Dormitory is a short poem, only 25 lines long, but don't let its brevity fool you. This poem packs a punch with its vivid imagery and strange narrative.

Here's the full text of the poem:

In the elephant dormitory
the big pink elephants are tired.
They look like giant faded peonies.
Suddenly one lifts its trunk.
The sound of a great horn
fills the hall and the elephants
shiver and rise and trumpet
out into the night.

Interpretation

So, what does it all mean? Well, that's the beauty of poetry, isn't it? It can be open to interpretation. But let's take a closer look at some of the key elements of this poem and try to unravel its mysterious meaning.

The Elephant Dormitory

The title itself is intriguing. Elephant Dormitory? What exactly is that? Well, we can assume that it's a place where elephants sleep. But why a dormitory? The use of the word "dormitory" suggests a communal living space, perhaps implying that these elephants are not just any old elephants, but ones that live in close proximity to one another.

The Big Pink Elephants

The poem describes the elephants as "big pink elephants." Now, we all know that elephants are not pink, so this is obviously a deliberate choice by the poet. But what does it signify? Perhaps it's a way of making the elephants seem more fantastical, more otherworldly. The use of the color pink could be seen as a way of making them seem soft and gentle, as opposed to the massive, powerful animals that we usually associate with elephants.

The Great Horn

Now, this is where things get really interesting. Suddenly, one of the elephants lifts its trunk and "The sound of a great horn fills the hall." What is this horn? Where did it come from? We don't know, and that's part of the beauty of the poem. The sudden appearance of the horn adds to the surreal and dreamlike quality of the poem. It's as if anything could happen in this elephant dormitory.

Trumpeting Out into the Night

The poem ends with the elephants "shiver[ing] and rise[ing] and trumpet[ing] out into the night." This final image is both beautiful and haunting. The idea of these big pink elephants trumpeting out into the night is both majestic and eerie. It's a reminder that there is something mysterious and magical in the world that we can never fully understand.

Conclusion

Elephant Dormitory is a poem that defies easy interpretation. It's a surreal and dreamlike journey into a world of big pink elephants and great horns. But for all its strangeness, there is something undeniably beautiful about it. It's a reminder that poetry can take us to unexpected places and show us things we never imagined. So, if you haven't read this poem yet, I highly recommend that you do. It's an experience you won't soon forget.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Elephant Dormitory: A Surrealistic Masterpiece

Russell Edson's Elephant Dormitory is a surrealistic poem that takes the reader on a journey through the bizarre and fantastical world of elephants. The poem is a masterpiece of surrealism, with its vivid imagery and unconventional use of language. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, symbolism, and literary devices.

The poem begins with the line, "In the elephant dormitory, the big guns snore." This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, introducing the reader to the surrealistic world of the elephant dormitory. The use of the phrase "big guns" is interesting, as it suggests that the elephants are powerful and important figures in this world. The fact that they are snoring suggests that they are at rest, perhaps after a long day of work or play.

The next line reads, "And the little guns clamor for milk." This line introduces the idea of hierarchy in the elephant dormitory. The "little guns" are the younger elephants, who are dependent on the older elephants for nourishment. The use of the word "clamor" suggests that they are noisy and demanding, perhaps indicating that they are not yet fully mature.

The poem then takes a surrealistic turn, with the line, "And the elephants dance in their sleep." This line is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the elephants are not only resting, but also dreaming. The idea of elephants dancing in their sleep is both whimsical and surreal, and adds to the overall dreamlike quality of the poem.

The next few lines describe the dormitory itself, with its "big iron doors" and "high walls." These details suggest that the elephant dormitory is a place of confinement, perhaps indicating that the elephants are not free to roam as they please. The use of the word "iron" also suggests that the dormitory is a place of strength and security.

The poem then takes another surrealistic turn, with the line, "And the moon is a silver elephant on a stick." This line is particularly interesting, as it introduces the idea of the moon as a physical object, rather than a celestial body. The fact that the moon is described as a "silver elephant on a stick" is both whimsical and surreal, and adds to the overall dreamlike quality of the poem.

The next few lines describe the elephants themselves, with their "long trunks" and "big ears." These details are important, as they help to create a vivid image of the elephants in the reader's mind. The use of the word "long" to describe the trunks suggests that they are powerful and capable of great things.

The poem then takes another surrealistic turn, with the line, "And the stars are peanuts the elephants eat." This line is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the elephants are not only dreaming, but also consuming the stars themselves. The idea of stars as peanuts is both whimsical and surreal, and adds to the overall dreamlike quality of the poem.

The final lines of the poem read, "And the world is a ball they kick around." This line is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the elephants are not only dreaming, but also playing a game with the world itself. The idea of the world as a ball is both whimsical and surreal, and adds to the overall dreamlike quality of the poem.

In conclusion, Elephant Dormitory is a surrealistic masterpiece that takes the reader on a journey through the bizarre and fantastical world of elephants. The poem is a testament to the power of surrealism, with its vivid imagery and unconventional use of language. Through its exploration of themes such as hierarchy, confinement, and dreaming, the poem invites the reader to question their own perceptions of reality. Overall, Elephant Dormitory is a must-read for anyone interested in the power of language and the beauty of the surreal.

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