Frogs

Engravings by Victor Kinza

Poems by Ilya Shambat

Happy multi-colored frogs!

How can I not hear your croaks?

In your giant protruding eyes

Insight grows and multiplies!

Blue on orange, green on red,

Violet on green - big heads,

Grasping feet, and smiling mouths -

Groucho Marx battles with Faust!

And within your bellies big -

Did you just swallow a pig?

Pretty multi-colored frogs!

Here, go jump upon a log! 

Happy newly-wedded frogs
Prince and princess of the bog!
In your eyes we see the sun -
Soon your flesh will be as one!

Soon a little frog will pop
Out the belly - it will hop
On the leaves, within the wood,
And wake all the neighborhood!

Soon will come the little elves -
But before then, be yourselves!
Go enjoy your honeymoon -
You will have your hands full soon!

Mommy frog and baby frog -
Hear the beating of the clock!
Know that time is on your side
As you battle with the tide!

She will nurture, she'll provide
She will warm the child inside,
And the child sticks out its tongue -
Is he not a piece of dung?

No, no, he is just like you -
Born within your belly too -
He'll continue family line -
Even if he is a swine.

Happy Beaver Cleaver frogs -
Do they not look just like dogs?
Loyal, loving, easy friends -
And not hard to understand:

Inner children, girl and boy,
The boy sassy, the girl coy,
And their parents, in their guts,
Know that both of them are nuts:

But because they are their kids
On their laps they let them sit -
And they feed them from the hem
Till they become just like them.

You are happy! Do not say!
Is it just a sunny day?
Or have you kids grown up fast
And then left you at long last?

Happy couple! You are blessed!
Raised your kids, and now can rest!
There is no more happy frog
In the whole of the bog!

Bright surrealistic frogs!
Rearrangement of the clocks!
Dali, Pollock and Van Gogh
Jumping out to say hello!

Giant blue eyes and mellow mouths -
What religion you espouse?
What philosophy are you?
And how much of it is true?

Only your obnoxious selves
Are not found on any shelves:
You'll inspire, then you'll return,
And you know you'll never learn.

Oh how happy are you two
By the flowers, in the zoo,
Where before us you appear
And there's nothing left to fear!

Happy frogs! In love you are -
And to all you are the stars -
And all eyes upon you are,
Happy Frogs America!

You'll be lured, then you'll be tamed,
With the wealth and with the fame,
And then you'll be unashamed
As the swamp you left is drained.

Oh how pretty you have grown,

In the world you have been thrown

Two sweet croaking jumping stars

Girl from Venus, man from Mars!

You have wisdom, you have will,

You have all the social skill

That you need to be great stars

Girl from Venus, man from Mars!

Lilies bow before your feet

And your smiles, knowing and sweet,

Charm the world - You are great stars,

Girl from Venus, man from Mars! 

Yogic frogs, with wisdom too -
With white spots on skins of blue -
You are now in Hollywood:
Did you ever know you would?

And then there's that little kid
He'll be blessed, as Elton said,
But in sparks of blue and white
How are you so like the night!

And the tapestry askew -
And the heart between you two -
Are there any more smug frogs
In the whole of world's bogs?

Now the kid is grown, and he
Jumps around with joy and glee
Happy that you both are stars
Girl from Venus, Man from Mars!

Do you know what he'll become
When he knows where he comes from?
Do you not yet understand?
Got Bin Laden on your hands!

On the other side of town

Frogs are swiftly multiplying

Thinking that the more of them

All the stronger they become.

There's no space for them; and so

They will all go off to war.

Oh sweet Jesus! What a mess!

Many toads have died for less. 

On the cycle, with a gun,
Under beaming desert sun
Comes the blue avenger frog
Riding onward through the bog.

In Afghanistan, Iraq,
In all places out of luck,
He will show them how it's done
At the barrel of a gun.

He'll astound, he'll amaze,
He will put them all in place,
Then they'll all again be quiet
And all things will be all right.

So then life again renews
After some unhappy truce.
Blessed be, happy little frog
In the middle of the bog!