did not turn into a prince.
I live to tell the tale.
Still I observed its mottled emerald skin,
felt the skeleton, a perfect physical vulnerability.
I kept my hands wet, lest I should do it harm
as I learned from fishing,
the catch and release.
I did not seek to manipulate, rather satisfied
with bulging eyes staring unflinchingly.
I held the creature as long as I dared
before spreading my palm
to offer a return to freedom.
The amphibian took its time
and I surmised we both enjoyed the exchange,
though anthropomorphizing seems disingenuous.
I respect diversity too much
to wish every creature human.
In the end I got the prince,
and perhaps learned something from the frog
in the way of gentle handling, though it took some time.
He chose to dry-dock, and together we have made a life.
Occasionally I ponder the well, and at such times wonder
if a thing captured can ever truly be free.
That is the balance in our lives, the enduring quality of love,
the fairy dance of Princess and Toad.
This tale ends happily
for my hand remains open,
not expecting.
Bela, this poem took off in a direction I didn’t expect. I liked it a lot!
Haha Ronnie, yes. I was messing around using a writing prompt for fun, and took the first thing that popped into my mind, “frog in the well.” So the poem just wrote itself from there.
Thanks, as ever, for your visit!
Life is all about giving & loving. The day we start expecting, we become agitated & frustrated. Loved the last lines: “my hand remains open”. 🙂
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the poem 😉
Indeed, Bela, a thing captured can never truly be free. Lovely 🙂
Thanks, VL! And yes, it’s true. It’s a bit of work maintaining enough distance to continue growing individually. But as close as might be, we have worked it out.
You are a passionate/compassionate person as your words dance across the page. I do have to ask you if the beautiful artwork is yours in some of your posts? If so, they are wonderfully done.
Thank you so much. And yes, passionate/compassionate could fit from where I sit 😉
Being open and in love with the world was not popular when I was growing up. I was always ‘too much’ for most if not all people. It is wonderful to be honored for who one Is, and not under constant pressure to be ‘other than.’ My (3rd) husband of over 20 years is a pearl beyond price in this way. So are the very few friends I’ve kept close all these years. Blessings, blessings!
The artwork is not mine – and my current template does not allow me to publish the name of the artist, which I was able to do with other WP templates. Bummer. Many of the photographs are mine, however – in fact, most of them are, these days. I search for just the right image to couple with my posts, so thank you for noticing. Although I do create art in charcoal pastel mainly, I’ve just been thinking of getting back to it in the past month or so. Funny you mention … although likely I’m going to get way distracted by my new camera 😉
Aloha.
Funny that you can’t mention the name of the artists. I simply go below the piece once I have entered there and type who it is just below or state where I got the piece from as you might have noticed. Your site should allow at least that much as it is also a WordPress site. Take care.
I can and I do (and always have). It just doesn’t show up on this particular WP Theme, which I love … and so! Grrr .. 😉
Sorry to hear that. It really is so strange.
‘Tis true. And I continue adding this info, but so far all that shows up is the info on my own camera’s focal length, etc. On we go! Aloha.