Were the frogs surprised
when they returned to mate this year?
A raised walkway
of recycled-plastic planks
has replaced the packed-mud track
by the stream
and the fecund pond of their birth
is now a string of landscaped pools
– courtesy of ‘English Nature’.
Whatever their reaction
they must have noticed the water,
was uncommon clear,
And this year
we missed the croaking frenzy call
to their annual copulation congregation,
their bodies glistening in pairs,
clasped tight together,
in an ecstasy of rare fearlessness.
Instead we only know they’ve been at all
by an exposed dribble of spawn
on a shiny new surface.
wyon 
Hi Wyon, another enjoyable poem with great images. The only problem is that I didn’t quite get it – or maybe I did. Where the poor frogs unable to copulate in the pristine new waters? By the way ours are in frog’s heaven and croaking so loudly that we worry that the neighbors may complain.
Love
Jane
Well, that is the question but it seems they were limited by the changed and more sterile environment. Doubtless is will all change over time. Maybe todays tadpoles will be upset by tomorrows muddier waters..Glad that yours are in frog heaven. I do like frogs!
They are a cuisine of great delight to the pelicans in the lakes around our area. In spite of the pelicans constant gulping frogs seem to reincarnate and sit in splendour on lily pads challenging our pelicans to get them . Nice poem!
Over here it is mainly the french that eat them – just their legs though – so there are quite a few paraplegic frogs as a result…
Very interesting observation. Perhaps you should offer this poem to English Nature. It might give them food for thought.
Thanks John, actually the panic is over – since writing the poem I have noticed large numbers of tadpoles so I think I missed some of the spawn.