Zero Tolerance

My word, that elephant stood proud! No diet had he planned! He ate such food as was allowed Each day he roamed the land... He munched food here, he munched food there, He munched, munched, munched all day, No longer looking debonair, Just one big blob of grey! No longer alpha male once praised, Just moving kinda slow... The others looked at him amazed, As he let himself go... His legs like tree trunks hoisted high, So he could trudge along, To fill up with some new supply, In this, he saw no wrong! But others knew! He'd soon get ill And bellyache again, When eating wasn't quite the thrill Once thought ten out of ten... Why tolerate all foods like him? Let's hope that you're more wise! Gone past the stage, filled to the brim, He's almost twice his size! Denis Martindale, copyright, July 2013. The poem is based on the magnificent painting by Stephen Gayford called 'Zero Tolerance'.