FROGS. DIONYSUS (@3The@1 FROGS @3call the time for@1 DIONYSUS, @3who is rowing@1 CHARON'S @3boat. Their first song is lenient in rhythm, but its final croak sets a brisk pace.@1) 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. (@3slowly, with stroke to match@1) I have, -- I find, -- a spot -- behind that's tender (@3wincing@1) -- Ow, ko-ax ko-ax! FR. (@3speeding him up@1) 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. (@3briskly@1) 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. (@3as before@1) From rub -- of oar -- my hands -- grow sore -- FR. Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. DI. (@3sings@1) How long? how long? Sing no more O sons of song! FR. (@3still more briskly@1) 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. (@3anticipates the croak, and spurts@1) Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax (@3relapsing@1) You've met -- your match: -- I've caught -- your catch. FR. How he'll wreck it there's no knowing! DI. (@3spurts@1) @3You@1'll wreck @3me@1, if I go rowing till I crack my back in two. FR. Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. DI. (@3relapses@1) 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. (@3spurts and relapses@1) Brekeke-kex ko-ax ko-ax. At least -- I'll beat -- you, song -- for song. FR. @3You@1 beat @3us@1? We can't conceive it! DI. (@3frantic@1) @3You@1 shall not put @3me@1 to rout! I shall croak and never leave it, all day long, needs be, I'll shout BREKEKE-KEX KO-AX KO-AX (@3relapsing@1) till my -- ko-ax -- has croaked -- you down -- and out. (@3defiantiy, shooting the boat to shore@1) 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...DEVOURER OF NATIONS by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET THE MERCY OF LAZARUS by STEPHEN DOBYNS ILLUSIONS by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON TRANSPOSITIONS by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE SEASONS by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON |