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Unseasonal rain has kept the small pond half full of water. More than a hundred tadpoles crowd its weedy shallows which, by now, would normally be a dried out bed of sludge cracking under a hot sun. They take refuge in the brown shadows of their diminishing world, plump prey for birds. Still infants and at least a month away from becoming frogs, they are running out of time. Their world is shrinking fast and one by one they are being taken. I look on. ‘ Help us. Help us. Take pity on our innocence ‘. I can almost hear them cry, gathered under their flimsy cover like children trying to hide from death falling from the sky.

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Sara Etgen-Baker

Date: 12/20/2023 5:06:00 PM

powerful, sad, and poignant. The ending was so powerful...wasn't expecting the plight of the tadpoles to be a metaphor for children in the war torn areas of the world. I almost cried. Well done, sir. Have a great evening, Sara

Paul Willason
Date: 12/21/2023 9:03:00 PM

This poem forced its way out of the well of feelings arising from the images broadcast every night on the news. Surfaced almost as it is...hardly any changes. One still feels helpless but to acknowledge such suffering seems to deepen our sense of humanity. Value yr comments Sara.

Lin Lane

Date: 12/20/2023 6:05:00 AM

“… trying to hide from death falling from the sky.” I’m imagining those who are innocent and live in war zones to feel the plight of those tadpoles. They’re running out of time and hope, Pleading to the world for help… and not getting it. Humans are so flawed. Your lines echo this to me, Paul.

Paul Willason
Date: 12/21/2023 8:52:00 PM

The sad reality of our so called enlightened society is the level of inequality in both wealth and suffering. I think it was Auden who said that poetry fixes nothing and cannot change anything...true...but it is a means of sharing the experiece of being fully alive to both joy and suffering. Many thanks for yr comments Lin.

Di11y Da11y

Date: 12/20/2023 2:55:00 AM

I know there's a deeper meaning but I struggle with being an onlooker to the circle of life - would I stand guard or build a system that protects until the adult stage I don't know. The biggest thing I struggle with though is my ability to avert my eyes to what isn't in my back garden - it's so easy to become overwhelmed that I've built a barrier around myself and as empathetic as I am, I'm cautious about what I let in but it is terrible when you hear the cries x

Paul Willason
Date: 12/21/2023 8:40:00 PM

Sometimes the cries become loud enough to breakthrough the normal background noise of life...helps us keep connected to the reality of an imperfect world. Thanks DD...always appreciate your comments and visits. Take care.