08 June 2010

ABC Wednesday U

a cautionary tale

U is for the Under Toad
that swims the mighty Mo.
With an ardent taste for human flesh
it lurks beneath its flow.

Children often feed its thirst,
they move through water slow.
It reaches up a slimy hand
and pulls them deep below.

Thrill seekers turn into prey
with a heightened sense of bravado.
They jump from the bridge where
the toad awaits, to eat them, apropos.

U is for the Under Toad
that swims the mighty Mo.
Its favorite season is summertime
when dormant feeding grounds grow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is my first time participating in ABC Wednesday. It was fun. John Irving first gave life to the Under Toad in either Garp or The Hotel New Hampshire. It stuck with me, and came to life with the U.

Every year two or three people drown in the Missouri River where it runs through our city. It doesn't need to happen, I'm just saying....

16 comments:

Stan Ski said...

I think there's one of these creatures in all rivers - so many unnecessary drownings.
Great 'U' post!

jay said...

Oh, very dark ... people drown in the river here, too. There are always thrill-seekers, and sometimes drunken or high thrillseekers. So sad.

OH is a big fan of John Irving, so he would know - I'll ask him!

Thanks for stopping in at my blog! :)

photowannabe said...

Welcome to ABC...and what a start to your postings.
Amazing poem and so much dark truth in it.

Roger Owen Green said...

I almost drowned when I was 16 in the Susquehanna. a couple years earlier, a boy my age DID drown.

Love the under toad/undertow parallel.

ROG, ABC Wednesday - WELCOME!

Tumblewords: said...

A wonderful post - nice to see you here!

jabblog said...

A great entry to the ABC meme - welcome :-)

brenda w said...

Thanks for all the welcoming comments!! Too bad I didn't find U all Until the letter U. Ha! Hopefully there will be a 7th challenge.

Roger, I'm glad the Susquehanna didn't get you. It must have been harrowing. I am a strong swimmer, but can imagine the terror of going under. I had a few drunken beach days myself as a teen, and thank my lucky stars Canyon Ferry Lake didn't swallow me whole.

anthonynorth said...

Oh, that was excellent! Edgy.

jay said...

And the answer is ... The World According to Garp!

He remembered it right away! Told you he was a big fan. LOL!

brenda w said...

Ha! Thanks Jay. I knew it was one of them. Bizarre read, that one.

Gayle said...

I'm a first time particpant in ABC this week also - enjoyed your post.

Jama said...

You wrote such beautiful poem!

Luckaa said...

Very interesting!

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

smart u poem..

LisaF said...

Welcome to ABC Wednesday! I can't wait to see what you have planned for the rest of this round and then Round 7! Love the Under Toad / Under Tow analogy. Thanks for popping over to my place.

brenda w said...

It's nice to see so many responses. I must say that I believe ABC Wednesday rocks! It is certainly opening my world to new photography, and some good writing too.

Lisa, Rog...thanks for having this site! I'll have to think of a way to incorporate pictures into an ABC poem at some point...hmm...