Animal Quote by Nikolai Gumilev
““ A Baby Elephant Right now my love for you is a baby elephant Born in Berlin or in Paris, And treading with its cushioned feet Around the zoo director's house. Do not offer it French pastries, Do not offer it cabbage heads, It can eat only sections of tangerines, Or lumps of sugar and pieces of candy. Don't cry, my sweet, because it will be put Into a narrow cage, become a joke for mobs, When salesman blow cigar smoke into its trunk To the cackles of their girl friends. Don't imagine, my dear, that the day will come When, infuriated, it will snap its chains And rush along the streets, Crushing howling people like a bus. No, may you dream of it at dawn, Clad in bronze and brocade and ostrich feathers, Like that magnificent beast which once Bore Hannibal to trembling Rome.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Unpublished, early 20th‑century Russian verse
A vivid, surreal portrait of a captive elephant reflects on innocence, oppression, and yearning for freedom.
In simple terms: Elephant symbolizes innocence, captivity, and hope.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for compassion toward the vulnerable.
Themes
animal
poetry
freedom
oppression
hope
Mood
melancholic
poetic
reflective
Type
Animal:1
Elephant:1
Girl friend:0
Love:0
Poetry:1
Right now:0
Russian:1
Russian-verse:1
Love Baby:0
Baby Elephant:1
Elephant Born:0
Elephant Right:0
When to use this quote
- literary analysis
- animal welfare activism
- creative writing
Key Concepts
symbolism
social critique
artistic surrealism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does art influence empathy for suffering?
- What freedoms are you denying yourself?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may obscure concrete action.
