a tale of tails, tenacity, and tedium, as told by me, usually barefoot and bellowing

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Ode To Amphibians/Save The Frogs Day...

For Real Toads.
Tiny green hidden
Your big voice echoes
Outside my bed room window
I almost wish for silence
Then remember how
The bugs will flourish
If more frogs were gone

The orchestra is different
Than when I was a child
Some sections are missing
Or rarely heard
The Bull Frog is silent
The Old Toad rarely seen
The frog songs are fewer

Only given credit
For delicious dishes
Sticky toes
And loud voices
The salamander and mud puppies
The frogs and toads feed less
Their music replaced by insect song

27 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

i love the peepers, frogs and toads and their songs.

Ella said...

I love your take on the prompt and how you shared what gifts they offer us~
Well done :D

Lynne said...

I hope you save your poems, writing. One day in your spare time you can put a book together . . .

Jinksy said...

How sad to be replaced by insects - poor little green frog! :)

Irene said...

That is really wonderful, Gail. You have turned into quite a poet.

Charleen said...

This poem is a true response to the prompt. Very good and yet a little sad.

MadSnapper said...

these sticky foot guys like this one make so much noise i can't sleep. or at least they used to. for some reason they are gone. i have only seen 2 of them in the past year or so. they used to be everywhere. once one of these was on the sliding glass door and i did not see it, it went splat on my chest and stuck there, i was doing a little happy dance while plucking him off. once about midnight i though one was in the bedroom it was so loud. i went outside the bedroom window and he was sitting on the rain barrell screeching his heart out. i got the broom to whack him and could not do it. so i touched him with the tip of the broom handle gently and he dropped into the water and did not continue his serenade the rest of the night. bob never knew i went outside. someone could have murdered me and he would not even know. he can't hear frogs or peeps or crickets, none of that or even me screaming for help

Pat said...

I like the sounds that the frogs make. We used to camp next to a pond and we'd laugh at some of the calls the frogs would make. We drove by a swampy area up in Michigan a few days ago and the frogs were making such a noise that it was deafening!

You have such a talent; I swear you could write a poem about anything!

Maggie Grace said...

I feel the loss of froggies in our environment in your writing. A reminder of the shifting in balance of nature without frogs. Froggie songs. Before this prompt, hadn't thought of it that way. I don't live near water or ponds to hear them.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

So sad that they are growing fewer. I dont look forward to more bugs!

Sandy Livesay said...

I'm not a big fan of frogs but love to listen to them at night and in the morning.

Great poem.

Margaret said...

Frogs, crickets, cows. I used to live above a field that had them all. Loved it.

Susan Kane said...

Peepers and bull frogs--I remember their songs well.

"Little Mermaid" has a great scene with all the marsh creatures creating a song for "Kiss the girl".

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I love listening to the frogs at night, but sadly, your words are true. These wonderful little creatures are becoming fewer and fewer because of irresponsible use of Herbicides and insecticides (and countless other toxins).
Our world is becoming unbalanced and big business doesn't care.

Keep up with your wonderful poems and rants. I love reading them, though I may not always comment :)They make me smile!

April 27, 2013 at 4:24 PM
Delete

Vandana Sharma said...

Wonderful...!!

Kay L. Davies said...

You have approached this prompt from your special point of view, and we are all richer for it. Beautifully said.
K

Susie Clevenger said...

I love to hear the frogs sing. So sad their numbers are dwindling. I hope they never go silent. Love this piece!

Michaele said...

I just love frogs. Hunting and catching them was one of my favorite pastimes as a kid. I would take them home and make houses for them. Love your poetry once again. You are so dang good at it.

Hannah said...

You display creatively and personally your perspective and I appreciate it and you, thank you so much for writing!! :)

Susan Anderson said...

I'm sad that the bull frog is silent.

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Willow said...

I know it doesn't seem like we see as many as we use to. I love when I see a toad around, we do hear the peeper at night again. I always enjoy your poems, they make me think.

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Not a froggie to be heard far or near.
I did hear one once. The little croaking seemed to be coming from under the storage sheds..I watched and waited..every day..it got softer...I was concerned..finally nothing. Since then not a sound.
Just one croak now and then would be nice. When you don't have it you miss it.

Sketching with Dogs said...

I have never seen a frog like that, he is beautiful. You paid the amphibian world a perfect compliment with your poem.
Lynne x

LilliStJohn said...

I do hope at the same time you write us great poems, you are also adding them to the book you will publish one day. I'll take one please :)

LindaG said...

Wonderful piece, Gail. :-)
I saw one today that was a good 2 inches long. Maybe three. Easily twice the size of most of the little guys.
Have a great week!

DesertHen said...

We have been waiting to hear the frogs here, but so far nothing. The alfalfa fields will come alive some springs with the sounds of small frog calls. Last spring we didn't hear many, but two years ago, the valley was full of frog song! I hope, as the days continue to warm and the nights are not so chilly, the frogs will grace us with their spring song!

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