Love Poem in the Key of Frog
they heard us comingwe caused a wave of silence
by our presence in the reeds
as if all string players in the orchestra
suddenly stilled their bows
– the brass section petered out
one at a time – the big guy on the
french horn kept blasting for awhile
then self-consciously noticed
he was solo
a final twitter from the piccolo
a muted thud off the kettle drum
then silence
there are a million frogs out there
quietly blinking
what does it cost them to hold their tongue?
all those potent love charms poised in
quivering throats
all those throbbing hearts
beating just beneath thin skins
like love, those frogs: invisible
until you almost step on them
attuned to the first bell of danger
cued for a sudden silvery disappearance
under the puddle
but mostly just waiting for us
to be still enough long enough
that they can give exuberant release
to all those pent up
harmonies
and then: our reward for hushing on the pond’s edge:
a single droplet of sound
it couldn't be helped
that lone untrussed cry of praise
the singular plea of life's longing for itself
joined by another, then another
now a frog quartet
and then a stream, then a river
then a movement for many voices
then a bannered parade of frog song
they've brought out the xylophones
the cymbals, the tubas
they're chiming up the violets
they're bringing on the dawn
they're unfurling the season of nest and egg
they're singing down the rain
they're singing green, they're singing pussy willow
they're singing spring's a splendid time for
frogs and dampish things
twined with the scent of boggy underleaf
and muck sucking hungry at every passing foot
the trilling drumming chirping thrumming
sweet cacophony of amphibious recklessness
jugband sinfonia
syncopated moonfed lilypad overture
singing out love me love me love me
unfrozen from winter's long mudbed
it's spring and I'm in love and
the kisses will be moist tonight
my prince
© 2006 Kerry Mulholland