Tuesday 28 April 2009

Save the Frogs Day

28th April 2009 has been declared the 1st annual Save The Frogs Day to encourage the appreciation and celebration of amphibians by people from all walks of life. You can find out more at the Save the Frogs website. Frogs currently face a series of threats including habitat destruction, diseases especially the chytrid fungus that is wiping out frog populations across the world). Find out more about these threats here and find out how you can help the frogs here.

Frog, Waving

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 its front legs to warn off other males and to attract females.

15 comments:

Mistlethrush said...

A well rounded poem with an evocative last line. Like it.

Dave King said...

A clever poem and a fine poem, it sort of creeps up on you and hits you right at the end.

Renaissance said...

Thanks for this info I didn't realize that we had a Save the Frogs Day I'll be checking it out.

angela recada said...

Hello! I just found your blog via a comment we both left on "blogaway". I'm glad I found your blog, as I really like how you are combining your poetry with environmental awareness. I've been attempting to do something similar, though I haven't yet found my niche.

I'll be visiting your blog again, and I've added you as a link on my Mother Earth blog.

Best wishes,
Angela

Caroline Gill said...

This is so poignant. Thank you.

Deb Cushman said...

We watched a documentary on the frog fungus the other day and your poem brought our thoughts back around. Didn't realize that there was a day dedicated to it. Hopefully it will bring the attention of the right people to the problem.

Unknown said...

I did not know it was save the frogs day - my middle daughter (25) loves frogs! Of course, I love them too - I have a few in the pond in my backyard!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Save the frogs! this is a wonderful poem, thank you for writing it.

Thomma Lyn said...

I'm glad to hear about Save the Frogs Day. Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. I love visiting the tadpoles in the stream near the hiking trail and watching them develop -- and so sad about the threats frogs face in our world today. :(

An excellent poem -- thought-provoking and poignant.

Julie said...

Beautiful, Juliet. It makes me so, so sad. The image of the frog waving makes me want to cry. I think I remember the poem? But I'm glad you posted it. It is a powerful and very important piece.

I hear bullfrogs and peepers right now, and it's a lovely sound. Thanks for the links. I will check them out right now.

polona said...

this one hits hard.
great poem

Janice Thomson said...

I remember this poignant poem from before - the impact is still the same now as it was then.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Oh how terribly sad! :-(

A lovely poem, though! :-(

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

yes, poignant! :-(

Alison Wiley said...

Thank you for educating us so poetically about a fellow creature.