Tadpole’s Tale

everyone called him Tadpole
not his actual real name
it stuck a long time ago
came from his favorite game

he always loved the river
would go there everyday
started catching tadpoles
before he had much to say

he would always put them back
right where they had come from
it was something in his spirit
to like this kind of humdrum

he would often simply sit there
with his feet stuck in the water
the shady trees kept him cool
as the days grew hotter

the river was his place
everyone could see
by this stretch of water
is where Tadpole loved to be

time passed on along
as it always does
the folks around grew older
we know where Tadpole was

in the spring the rains would come
the river would grow wild
it was a day like this
when Tadpole saw the child

across the raging river
from Tadpole’s special place
a vital little boy
a big smile on his face

he was running with a puppy
no doubt a new playmate
between the two and the river
there was no wall or gate

Tadpole sat and watched
it was a gorgeous thing to see
two souls open and joyous
the air filled up with glee

the puppy running circles
the little boy giving chase
they moved onto the riverbank
a sloping, slippery place

it happened in an instant
the puppy tumbled first
the boy followed right after
then Tadpole burst

up from his resting place
he dove into the rampage
the future holds its breath
for all unknown at this stage

the puppy flailed on the surface
Tadpole clutched him in real quick
but he couldn’t see the boy
the mud and sticks too thick

he looped his arm on a giant branch
lodged into the bank
he saw the boy’s leg float by
grabbed it just before it sank

hard to know how he did it
but he did it nonetheless
he heaved the puppy and the boy
up to solid ground — alive but a real mess

just as it seemed
the river would not win
the branch Tadpole clung to
snapped and floated in

straight to the rapids
rocks and wild water
the only creatures built for this
fish or maybe otter

Tadpole went under
he did not reappear
his fate was determined
this moment, day and year

the boy and pup got better
time passed, as it does with no fail
one final little note
here in Tadpole’s Tale

if you go down by the river
at a certain time of night
just before the sun is gone
when the light is just right

you can see Tadpole sit there
in his special perfect place
his feet stuck in the water
a smile on his face