amphibian
family ranidae
as tadpole dart&play
then losing gills& tail
metamorphosed
frog-thumbnail
one to our small
pond arrived
leaped& to the bottom
dived
so friendly so tame
Freddie
became his name
never sure why he
chose our place
to sejourn
his summer base
mornings sleeping
'neath the reeds
siesta in sublazed weeds
by night
dining on slugs&snails
by dawn
back without fail
when summer
drew to a close
hibernating
somewhere near
in dormant pose
To the pond behind my yard
I saw strolling a frog and a toad
They were there on that rainy day to breed
But the two soon began chatting their creed
Said the frog: “You a Bufonidae
You disturb my peace with your croak”
Protested the toad: “You a rascal Ranidae
You scare me to my death with your squeak”
Friendly chatting now turned to a dispute
They leapt across belittling each other
And there crept the water snake, moving softly
Swallowed the frog, proceeding next to the toad!
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