Guest poem submitted by Anustup Datta
(Poem #863) Frogs Frogs sit more solid than anything sits. In mid-leap they are parachutists falling in a free fall. They die on roads with arms across their chests and heads high. I love frogs that sit like Buddha, that fall without parachutes, that die like Italian tenors. Above all, I love them because, pursued in water, they never panic so much that they fail to make stylish triangles with their ballet dancer's legs. |
Absolutely delightful. I think the comparison with Italian tenors is especially perfect - it makes you really sit up and chuckle. Anustup. [Links etc.] MacCaig poems on the Minstrels: Poem #755, Gone are the days Poem #699, Incident There's more about MacCaig online at [broken link] http://www.geocities.com/william_brodie/maccaig/backgr.html This site also has a fair collection of his poetry. Random irrelevancies: Poem #544, Toads -- Philip Larkin Poem #799, Mr Toad -- Kenneth Grahame
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11 comments: ( or Leave a comment )
Great imagery. This poem goes down well with all age levels.
Every year I include it when teaching poetry. Sometimes I present it as
a close exercise- leaving out some words and the students fill in with
something meaningful- and we then share the different versions and
finally the poet's version. Always works.
Karen
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very good article and very nice poem
He became a free verse poet with the publication of Surroundings in 1966. Seamus Heaney has said his work 'is an ongoing education in the marvelous possibilities of lyric poetry.' Whilst Ted Hughes wrote, 'whenever I meet his poems, I'm always struck by their undated freshness, everything about them is alive, as new and essential, as ever.'
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I like this poem it is very good!!!
could someone please explain the poem to me? what does it mean when the poet compare frogs to parachutists falling and die like italian tenors?
Hi there! I searched all about Italian tenors and still it is not clear to me why are dying frogs are compared to italian frogs? Any explanation????
@ Hilola: I read it as linking with the image of: "They die on roads
with arms across their chests and
heads high."
When an opera singer dies on stage, as a generalistion the event could be described as ostentatiously dramatic and accompanied with stylised gesture. I believe MacCaig is alluding to this as well as associating the image with the common romanticised stereotypes surrounding Italian culture - drama, vivacity, artistic expression.
^^^
And I forgot to say, this has long been one of my favourite poems. Thanks for posting it!
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