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“A Gathering of Frogs by Stewart Stafford Through the fence with friends, And into the back field frontier, Past the growing pile of lumber, Shivers for the Halloween bonfire. Down the slope to a boundary hedge, Rusty bathtub lying like a crime scene, And into the deepening marsh beyond, For the ritual kidnapping of frogspawn. Frogs leap through reeds and tall grass, The bulbous jelly of many eyes located, Scooped surgically into a container, Up to our fort to study our live plunder. Tongues of smoke from our twig fire, On the derelict path between estates, Crisps consumed in the darkening chill, Then, satiated, a walk home for dinner. © Stewart Stafford, 2022. All rights reserved.” — Stewart Stafford
A Gathering of Frogs by Stewart Stafford
Through the fence with friends,
And into the back field frontier,
Past the growing pile of lumber,
Shivers for the Halloween bonfire.
Down the slope to a boundary hedge,
Rusty bathtub lying like a crime scene,
And into the deepening marsh beyond,
For the ritual kidnapping of frogspawn.
Frogs leap through reeds and tall grass,
The bulbous jelly of many eyes located,
Scooped surgically into a container,
Up to our fort to study our live plunder.
Tongues of smoke from our twig fire,
On the derelict path between estates,
Crisps consumed in the darkening chill,
Then, satiated, a walk home for dinner.
© Stewart Stafford, 2022. All rights reserved.