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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE FROGS: THE FROGS' SONG, by ARISTOPHANES Poet's Biography First Line: Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax Last Line: Silenced! -- so there! -- who wins -- our croaking bout? Subject(s): Aeschylus (525-456 B.c.); Animals; Euripides (484-406 B.c.); Frogs | |||
FROGS. DIONYSUS (The FROGS call the time for DIONYSUS, who is rowing CHARON'S boat. Their first song is lenient in rhythm, but its final croak sets a brisk pace.) FR. Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax, brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax -- Uplift your voice children born of lake and stream! Pipes ring out; ring out my song Lord Dionysus praising, -- ko-ax ko-ax -- O sweet refrain sung of old to Nysa's lord, child of Zeus, -- our song of the fens lifted loud calling the folk who assemble down at our Close in the Marshlands and keep with a jolly carouse High Feast of Pots. Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax! DI. (slowly, with stroke to match) I have, -- I find, -- a spot -- behind that's tender (wincing) -- Ow, ko-ax ko-ax! FR. (speeding him up) Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. DI. You're not -- the kind, -- it seems, -- to mind. FR. Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. DI. To hell -- with you -- and ko-ax too! The same -- old song -- the whole -- day long! FR. (briskly) Song, -- you clever busybody! -- learnt of the lyric Muses, learnt of Pan, who loved me, Pan, of the vocal reeds mellifluous, Pan, the Goat-foot. Pleasant am I no less to Apollo, lord of lute-play -- Reeds, of a wood to re-echo his fingering, down in our own ooze-garden grow. Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. DI. (as before) From rub -- of oar -- my hands -- grow sore -- FR. Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. DI. (sings) How long? how long? Sing no more O sons of song! FR. (still more briskly) Sing we on, -- louder, louder, now if ever! Sing, as when blue days have set us hopping in and out for pleasure through the galingale, through rushes, now for a dip, and now for a ditty. Sing, as when we bob for shelter out of the rain, and from our chorus giddy songs of the underwater swell hubble-bubble to the top. DI. (anticipates the croak, and spurts) Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax (relapsing) You've met -- your match: -- I've caught -- your catch. FR. How he'll wreck it there's no knowing! DI. (spurts) You'll wreck me, if I go rowing till I crack my back in two. FR. Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. DI. (relapses) Be damned! -- I don't -- care what -- you do! FR. No, we'll croak you to a finish, never a note shall we diminish open-throated all day long. DI. (spurts and relapses) Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. At least -- I'll beat -- you, song -- for song. FR. You beat us? We can't conceive it! DI. (frantic) You shall not put me to rout! I shall croak and never leave it, all day long, needs be, I'll shout BREKEKE-KEX KO-AX KO-AX (relapsing) till my -- ko-ax -- has croaked -- you down -- and out. (defiantiy, shooting the boat to shore) BREKEKE-KEX KO-AX KO-AX! Silenced! -- so there! -- Who wins -- our croaking bout? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...YOUNG BULLFROGS by CARL SANDBURG SMALL FROGS KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY by JAMES WRIGHT ASSAULT by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY BACCHUS AND THE FROGS by ARISTOPHANES WHAT THE FROGS SING by PHOEBE CARY THE LONG SIGH OF THE FROG by EMILY DICKINSON THE CLOUDS: THE CLOUD CHORUS by ARISTOPHANES |
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