in
the dry season the frogs are silent
as
if they have taken some vow
but
when the rains come
their
voices are animated
no
more lying about like a dried
out
old water-skin sunbaking
in
the parched and cracked lake
instead
they are talkative
the
sound of them is like a herd
of
bellowing cows who have lost
their
calves as each frog opens
its
mouth to croak another joins
exhilaration
excites the frogs
who
leap about in the pouring
rain
yellow frogs and spotted frogs
like
the yellow and speckled cows
around
us a chorus in crescendo
all
croaking in harmony like devotees
chanting
their mantras celebrating
the
day when the dry becomes the wet
Inspired
and freely translated from Rg Veda vii
103.
And they do recite their mantras! A great word to capture the monotony of their croaking a. We have a creek below so I know them well.
ReplyDeletefrogs have become so rare round our way, I really miss them
ReplyDeletei like the way this builds - and I like frogs :-)
ReplyDeleteIn the tropics they come just as in the Rg Vida as a sign that the monsoon is coming. Sometimes they are almost deafening.
ReplyDelete