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Ode' To the Toad

Always did we hear them sing A joyful lifting croak We always had to watch our dog For the poison toad will choke I drove to the flowing river, dry, most all the time Expecting the song of the desert toad and their throaty deep croaked chime I climbed out of the family car To the flowing wash I went Instead of cheerful throaty praise Eerily silent The dreadful drought was wicked Drying deeply every creek bed Though never did I sing an ode' To the Colorado River toad My heart is in a worried doubt After this dry and horrid drought What is keeping them tucked away So silent this cool rainy day I'm worried for those desert toads Who've never stayed in their abodes Deep within the moistened sand When rain has washed this desert land I hope for them everything's well After this droughts dry, scorching hell Hoping that they didn't croak Before our long awaited soak

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Valsa George

Date: 3/20/2022 2:48:00 AM

Though their croakng is sonorous, I love to hear the 'Cra... Cra' sound of the frogs and toads on rainy seasons. Even after a rain, if we fail to hear it, we feel that something is amiss and we become annoyed! With global warming many such creatures face great threat! I can understand your concern BJ. A beautiful poem

Natasha L Scragg

Date: 9/13/2021 1:45:00 PM

Love this rhyme! Very good :-D

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 9/14/2021 11:49:00 AM

Thank you! :) I am happy to say that a few survivors have been happily croaking along the greenery of the wash, we've had lots of rain this year! The few I have heard are obviously keeping busy replenishing the sad loss of their kind. Baby toads! They are so adorable! <3

Supraja Kannan

Date: 7/8/2021 3:33:00 AM

This is a beautiful ode to the toad... Not everyone will think like you... You are so generous... thanks for sharing this empathetic write...I enjoyed reading it...

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 7/9/2021 1:45:00 PM

Thank you for stopping by to visit my poems and for your encouraging comments to me Supraja. I do feel empathetic to the lives of animals and creatures around us, and believing that each kind affects the balance of nature for all the rest. The absence or demise of any of those species of creatures will be felt along the line somehow. I do feel sad to find them absent for the time being, hoping they will take their place again in our region, doing what they do and happily enjoying the rainy weather when it comes. I'm glad you liked my poem <3 ~BJ

Judy Ball

Date: 7/5/2021 7:54:00 AM

It's pretty scary for sure. I read somewhere that frogs and toads are dying off and that is not a good thing for our environment. I love the little rain frogs that perch on gate posts and porch posts in rainy weather. They are so cute and harmless. A fine write my friend. Hope the toads have made it through. God Bless, JB

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 7/20/2021 2:49:00 PM

I've seen one hopping off the road, and I heard one or two down by where the dry river bed has been receiving lots of inflow from the washes (dry tributaries)! I'm so glad we have a few survivors, though sadly, there doesn't seem to be many. I am glad others share my concern for our fellow earth creatures <3 :) Thank you for caring <3

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 7/5/2021 1:32:00 PM

I hadn't heard this was happening, that is terrible! I only noted what is happening here with their silence, and not seeing any when they should be all over the place. Do you still have your sweet little harmless frogs in your area?

Rama Balasubramanian

Date: 7/5/2021 5:25:00 AM

You are an empathetic person. Are the toads ok now? Brilliant write.

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 7/20/2021 2:53:00 PM

Happily I saw one, and heard one or two near where the river now runs during the monsoon season. So happy that we have some survivors. I hope they each have families quickly, and the rain stays around and fills the aquafers, lakes and dams again! It has been so good to hear any of them. There were seemingly many casualties sadly, we use to hear many of them, but it uplifts me that there were survivors <3

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 7/5/2021 1:27:00 PM

I haven't seen even one. We use to have to drive carefully during the rains because we didn't want to run over any with the car, there were so many of them. Now we don't see any, even after the rains have been coming along for a few days. It's not at all normal :(

Victor Buhagiar

Date: 7/5/2021 2:22:00 AM

Incredibly beautiful poem. One hopes the rain will come quickly to fatten the toads. Excellent.

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 7/20/2021 3:03:00 PM

I am so happy to update, I saw one hopping off the road (and hopefully stays off the road!). I also heard one or two down where the old dry river only runs during the monsoon season...which we pretty much did not have last year. I do hope they hurry and grow fat, the mosquitoes are happily swarming and no doubt do not miss the toads! I also hope many baby toads are able to replace the lost ones and take up their place and hungrily eat up the bonus crop of mosquitoes as fast as they can :) I am so happy we have at least some survivors so far. Hopefully the rains continue (without floods.....!)!

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 7/5/2021 1:23:00 PM

Yes, I hope any survivors of this terribly long dry spell fatten up and have an opportunity to take their rightful place in this world. I haven't seen any yet, and it is nothing less than frightening.