I Wish I Weren'T a Frog

I WISH I WEREN’T A FROG by JOHN M. ARRIBAS I wish I were a frog sunning myself on a lily pad No cares or worries to drive me mad or sad I’ll play it cool, wait for insects out on the fly A plump worm, two mosquitoes are my kind of pie I need the sun to be on schedule each n every day I gotta find warmth, and for me, it’s the only way Sitting on a lily pad in a tranquil pond sounds fine But here in Florida, your existence is always on the line Carnivores are under every leaf, behind each palm In jungles we’d be warned as howlers screech alarm We don’t have warnings of lethal impending threats Owners come to cast off their loved carnivorous pets I sense being stalked now by sneaky ole alligator He’s not looking now but he’ll inch closer, later He’s trying to ambush me pretending he’s asleep He’s been at this for days but my distance I keep I wile away time til the location is just right I jump on his eyes and carom quickly out of sight He’s not too quick on the uptake, actually slow He’s focused on me for a meal; and doesn’t know There’s a large constrictor taking his measure Swallowing him whole would be a savory treasure I’ve got to be vigilant, keep alert system on high Swallowed from below or scooped up from on sky And then there’s the so called breeding season Missy shows up lays thousands of eggs and done All arrive at the same time flooding the place Attracting voracious eaters at a phenomenal pace I honker down n lay low til the action gets still Making sure these gluttons have had their fill Frog (2) Were I in the amazon I’d turn a bright yellow A red flag to the savvy that I’m a poisonous fellow There’s always a dummy not sure what colors tout He’ll take a bite, I’ll exude, he’ll quickly spit me out I don’t get that edge here in the Florida everglades This place becomes a banquet site as the sun fades I’d be a frog up north where the seasons change It’s so much safer there, I’d extend my range Sunning myself all summer, find soft mud in the fall Hibernate, lose some weight, wait for spring to call But I’m here in Florida where eating lasts all year Due to all these frog consumers, so much more to fear Caught a movement flashing in the corner of my eye It’s a big fat caterpillar, just the kind I’d like to try He’s quite a distance away, I’ll need to spring real high Oops, I made a big mistake never saw the hawk fly by. Bye