The Blind Men and the Elephant

Each night before bed Lexi likes to read a poem.  Having finished A Child's Garden of Verses recently, we began the anthology "Read-Aloud Poems for Young People".  Some nights she can read the poem du jour herself, but often I read these to her.  In this way we can discuss the poem's meaning, clarify any points, and talk about some of the imagery or language, too. 

Tonight, we read The Blind Man and the Elephant.  I don't know how I made it through all the years of English Literature classes I did without ever reading this, but I loved it as much as she did.  Together we discussed the nature of God, and the nature of knowledge itself.  And as I came downstairs afterwards, I couldn't help but also think about the debates I've been reading among the parents in the autistic community lately regarding causation:  genetic or triggered by toxins?  Each side is so convinced that they alone are right. 

 How adamant we humans can be about our own small piece of the truth...

The Blind Men and the Elephant
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)

It was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant, And happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl: "God bless me! but the Elephant Is very like a WALL!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk, Cried, "Ho, what have we here, So very round and smooth and sharp? To me 'tis mighty clear This wonder of an Elephant Is very like a SPEAR!"

The Third approached the animal, And happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up and spake: "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a SNAKE!"

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,  And felt about the knee "What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain," quoth he: "'Tis clear enough the Elephant Is very like a TREE!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: "E'en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an Elephant Is very like a FAN!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope, Than seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope, "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a ROPE!"

And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong!