The last wild golden frog
waves* from its rock
to attract a mate.
The biologist stops
and picks it up. She wishes
she could leave it here,
remembers the care needed
years ago to avoid crushing frogs
with every step along this river
but now a deadly fungus
advances, will reach this valley soon
and the frogs have no chance.
The biologist adds the frog
to her collection and walks down
the now less golden hill.
In the frog hospital
the last golden frogs in the world
sit in cages and wave.
* the male golden frog waves a front leg to attract a mate and to warn off other males.
2008 is the International Year of the Frog.
Many species of frogs and toads around the world are threatened with extinction. You can read more about the problem and how you can help save the species concerned at Amphibian Ark (and follow the other links in the post too).
21 comments:
poignant -- on many levels
i've read of this problem. and of how amphibians are like canaries in the cold mine.
it's heartening to hear that some people are trying to do something about it. and it's good of you to draw attention to this.
This makes for sad reading particularly the frog waving - because as well as attracting a mate it could also be waving goodbye because of the thread to the species.
poetry should have a point (most times) and yours does.
Lovely and sad.
NOOOOOOOOOOO :0(
I also found it sad but well written!
I like this because it's a very useful and significant poem - and I don't usually find words like biologist in poems.
I can't remember the last time I saw a toad :( I don't think I have seen many, being a city-person. It's sad.
Hello again!
i love this--you are making a point, and you are connecting to the living (video, alright) frog... they end by holding on...
hold on.
i am in awe, at the image on your header--its so many levels thick, beautiful...
Hi there,
I just wanted to thank you so much for stopping by my blog and for your lovely comments on my work, I really appreciate it.
Your poetry is wonderful, really thought provoking.
so sad
such a sign of the times
this summer I had hundreds of frogs one week, sitting on the top of the pond
then there were less
nature had its way!
A very good piece! It's really sad, the issue of extinction faced by so many species..
triste... y real.
Frog, Waving is so relevant, Juliet. I'm glad I read it. I shall carry the vivid image of golden frogs with me this evening. Thank you.
That title is just fabulous. Have read about this problem too, and one scary theory says that virus might be propagated by the researchers themselves, visiting one infected pond and bringing it with them to the next place their visiting. It's so tragic.
Hello! Thank you for your kind comment at my site. I enjoy stopping in and saying hello to new people and...wow...your site is awesome. Beautiful picture on your header!
This is an excellent poem with a perfect title. Very sad but in a beautiful way. I love frogs, and the frog waving has two different levels of meanings for me. Thank you for sharing. It's very nice to meet you.
How very poignant. We have the same trouble here - frogs are becoming a thing of the past except for the huge American Bullfrog which eats all the local frogs, ducklings and anything else it can get in its rather large mouth. It was brought over for restaurants but some were released into the wild when eating frog legs was no longer a fad.
gosh, this one hits hard...
This brings back a childhood memory. My family and I were camping at a lake in Southeastern Alaska. During the evening the whole bank around the lake was covered with little frogs. I'd never seen so many together like that before, I never have again. I have a similar memory of looking into the water at a shallow spot and for as far as the eye could see, the bottom being covered with crab. I think those days are gone.... This poem is a great reminder to cherish what we have.
Moving--I particularly like the "now less golden hill."
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