Friday, September 2, 2016

Suction sure

She dotes on poetry, sir. She adores it; I may say that her whole soul and mind are wound up, and entwined with it. She has produced some delightful pieces, herself, sir. You may have met with her 'Ode to an Expiring Frog,' sir.
― Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers *



Sharing a poem from the Poem Swap today. This summer was very emotion-packed for me, what with my father-in-law's death, son's graduation, husband's illness, and other events. When I was sending out a message to the swappers in July, I included this image and said, "This has pretty much been me this summer:


Drenched, but still holding on to my cup."

Dori thought about me and my storms when she wrote the following poem, which she sent with a delightful, musical frog:



Song of the storm
by Doraine Bennett
for Tabatha

a spring peeper clings
to the broken limb
footpads suction sure
attuned to distant thunder
she chooses the pertinent chant
perfectly paired to words
her green mind imagines
and belts out her song

************

* In case you wondered about Charles Dickens' character's "Ode to an Expiring Frog":

‘Can I view thee panting, lying
On thy stomach, without sighing;
Can I unmoved see thee dying
     On a log,
     Expiring frog!’

‘Say, have fiends in shape of boys
With wild halloo, and brutal noise,
Hunted thee from marshy joys,
     With a dog,
     Expiring frog!

************
Here's a poem inspired by Dickens' expiring frog.

A Penny and her Jots has the Poetry Friday round-up this week. Thanks, Penny!

16 comments:

tanita✿davis said...

Love the imagery of the suction cup feet held fast, the song rising anyway.

...and that Dickens just cracks me up.
May we all hang in there!!

Linda B said...

I'm often surprised by the connections among everyone's sharing, this time "frogs". Your new small frog looks delightful, and it evidently has real grit as Dori's poem shows. I hope the fall brings a more relaxing time, Tabatha. I remember that storm attack video, still hard to see how he held on! I guess some of us wonder about that too about ourselves! Hugs to you!

Penny Parker Klostermann said...

Sorry about your summer, Tabatha. Mine was about the same, including my father-in-law's death. I love Dori's poem...sometines we have to use our suction feet and just hang on.

Julie said...

Glad to hear that you were at least able to hold on to your cup! As Dickens implies, sometimes life in general is a "wild haloo and brutal noise." Hope autumn is a bit better to you.

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing this. The frog and the poem lifted my spirits on this rainy day in the PNW. I love these poetry swaps. I am sorry that your summer felt like a storm.

Jeanne said...

Thank goodness for suction feet!

Doraine said...

I adore the Dickens quote! Hang in there, my friend.

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

Such a wonderful poem from Dori! Sometimes hanging on is the best we can do. Hanging on while singing? Something to strive for. xo

Brenda at FriendlyFairyTales said...

Some days clinging to a branch seems like plenty. I hope things aren't Dickensonian for too much longer.

Bridget Magee said...

A true talent to still be holding your cup while getting drenched, Tabatha. Love Dori's poem and gift - like a refuge from the storm. Sending you even more respite. =)

Violet N. said...

So sorry to hear of your stormy summer, Tabatha. Reminds me of something I read in one of the Narnia chronicles recently: "When things go wrong, you'll find they usually go on getting worse for some time; but when things once start going right, they often go on getting better and better." (from The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis).

Here's hoping things have turned the corner for better and better!

Tabatha said...

Aww, thanks, guys!
(Some things were good...the graduation was a good thing, just emotional, and we got a kitten, which was good, just chaos-inducing...hmmm...should "chaos-inducing" have the word "just" in front of it?)

Buffy Silverman said...

I love Dori's choice of a broken limb to hang on to, and that her green mind imagines the words she sings! Wishing you a less stormy fall...

Irene Latham said...

If anyone has a green mind, it's you, Tabatha! And a heart big enough to hold a hundred universes. Sending you love... and all the glory of fall. xo

Mary Lee said...

Keep hold of the cup...an the umbrella, too, no matter how ruined! You're still standing! YAY! Thanks for a fabulous summer of swaps. You do so much to enrich our community!

Whispers from the Ridge said...

Do hang in there, Tabatha. I do hope things are on the mend. I am so grateful to the spirit you bring to the Poetry Friday bunch!