Freeze and Thaw

Photo: (c) Jamie K. Reaser

There are frog eggs and there is snow.

This, to me, is wonderful.

I live in a place where frogs,

entire little brown frogs,

freeze and thaw!

I think this spectacular.

I think this is spectacular,

in part,

because I find it humbling.

I like it when my practice of

worship entails coming

to my knees for a closer look.

And there is ice on the vernal pool.

Except in one spot.

It’s the spot where the frogs

collectively laid their eggs before the

temperatures plummeted

and the storm came.

Before the storm came!

How did they know the sun

would favor that particular

two by two foot spread for

wetness above all others?

How did they know?

Alternate hypothesis # 1:

There is a heat-generating relationship

between the gelatinous egg masses

and solar radiation playing out before

my eyes, on this air-chilled day,

in ways I cannot see.

Alternate hypothesis # 2:

It is both:

Long time-selected forethought

and engineering.

Alternate hypothesis # 3:

It’s a miracle.

Today, I’m not inclined to choose.

Rumor has it that it will be in

the 60s again on Sunday.

That’s two days away.

The frogs will thaw.

I will ask.

© 2013-2019/Jamie K. Reaser
Published in "Wild Life: New and Selected Poems"  
and "Winter: Reflections By Snowlight"

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