The Showoff Poem by Burt Poole

A story sad came from a pond where
lived a thousand frogs.
Then, there were tadpoles by the
score that loitered near the
logs.
It seemed they had one common thing,
for father of these hoppers,
was a clever clown, as he swam around,
this proudest of frog papas.
With his twinkling eyes and his thick
frog thighs he would put on quite a
show.
With a wink he’d sink then quickly rise,
like an Olympian turned pro.
Then, it seems one day, in his usual
way, “Big Daddy” took a
dive.
And every froglet watched him jump,
this proudest frog
alive.
This time he would take his deepest
plunge to thrill the throngs on
shore.
So down and down and down he went,
then, farther down some
more.
The seconds turned to minutes
as all waited there to cheer when their
dear old daddy bullfrog would once more
reappear.
But sad to say there was no return...
... For in the deep he’d lost his stroke,
Being OH so tired, he then expired.
The first poor frog to croak!

(7/11/76)