The Ballad of Benjamin

(Image Source)

Western Leopard Toad

The Ballad of Benjamin

Benjamin was his name, oh

And a happy frog was he

Despite the fact that he could not see

The rest of the world dwelt in misery

Benjamin wished to share this feeling

That welled up inside his soul

With bird and fox and mole

To spread joy was his goal

Without working eyes

Benjamin dared not travel long

So he sang a heartfelt song

In a voice both clear and strong

The other creatures in the land

Came to listen to the tune

In Benjamin's voice of bassline boom

As he bestowed his gleeful boon

Soon Benjamin's goal was met

Through his song of gleeful mirth

Happiness spread around the earth

Where once there was a dearth

Benjamin's good deed brought him goodness in return

Mother Nature blessed him with the gift of sight

He saw his reflection in the light 

At first it gave him quite a fright

Just a moment later, Benjamin laughed at the surprise

"It seems I'm not a frog at all," he said.

"It turns out I'm a toad instead."

But not a single tear was shed

For Benjamin was a happy fellow

Regardless of his outsides

~Aurora~

Note:

I combined two prompts to create this whimsical poem. The Prompts Blog asked us to speculate happiness being invented by a blind frog named Benjamin. It's Open Link Tuesday at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, and they presented the above picture of a Western Leopard Toad. Thus, the Ballad of Benjamin sprang into being. I hope it made you smile a little.

This Is Not The Way

Image source

Image by Margaret

This is Not the Way

In Yellowstone, a hiker

Was killed by a mother bear

Now the officials want

To euthanize the bear and her cubs

Revenge killing is not the answer

While humans should be protected

So must wildlife

Our predators are already at risk

A solution must be found

That does not involve the death

Of the mother bear

Or her innocent cubs

~Shayla~

This is a link to a petition to Yellowstone officials to spare the life of the bear and her cubs.

I Said this Sadly, But I'm Not Sad

I don't even think this was meant to be a poem, but there is something poetic in the way she narrates. Statements about her thoughts and life become a poem. To me, there's something poetic about life itself being a form of poetry.

~Shaye~

Beautiful Boy

Malcolm Young, mid 1970's

 

Beautiful boy

From a faded photograph

Taken forty or so years ago

Some people callously say

You can add that to the list of things

That no longer mean anything

You will never find me thinking that way

Your beauty was never an all on the outside thing

Which is why it remains

Even now

 

~Cie~

 

Prompts Used:

 

Daily Writing Prompts

Flash 55

Sinful Sunday