Frogs
Frogs sit more solid
than anything sits. In mid-leap they are
parachutists falling
in a free fall. They die on roads
with arms across their chests and
heads high.
I love frogs that sit
like Buddha, that fall without
parachutes, that die
like Italian tenors.
Above all, I love them because,
pursued in water, they never
panic so much that they fail
to make stylish triangles
with their ballet dancer's
legs.
Commentary
Absolutely delightful. I think the comparison with Italian tenors is especially perfect - it makes you really sit up and chuckle.
— Anustup
[Links etc.]
MacCaig poems on the Minstrels:
Poem #755, Gone are the days
Poem #699, Incident
There’s more about MacCaig online at
http://www.geocities.com/william_brodie/maccaig/backgr.html This site also has a fair collection of his poetry.
Random irrelevancies:
Poem #544, Toads – Philip Larkin
Poem #799, Mr Toad – Kenneth Grahame
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From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.
Swannie Karen K · 13 February 2008
Great imagery. This poem goes down well with all age levels.
Every year I include it when teaching poetry. Sometimes I present it as a close exercise- leaving out some words and the students fill in with something meaningful- and we then share the different versions and finally the poet’s version. Always works.
Karen