NaPoWriMo 2013 Day 27 ~ Black Suits and Bold Lies

Mantella: This poisonous frog from Madagascar, Mantella baroni, also acquires its toxins through its diet. One of the primary contributors is an ant that is endemic to Madagascar, Anochetus grandidieri. Photo: Valerie C. Clark.


I am dressed to kill
so take a hint to look
and not touch.
Take me out for a bite
and that may be
your last lunch.

You have come uninvited
with your matchstick flames
reducing my rainforest backyard
to burnt logs and plowed fields.

Madagascar, you see with
near sighted eyes the grain
to feed the immediate
while leaving the future to starve.

All my favorite eateries are disappearing
to the bloated assumptions a lost frog
is nothing to the salvation of man.
After all you tout, "It was we who
were given dominion."

I wear my poisoned haute couture
for an explicit reason to warn of intent.
It Seems humans prefer to wear their
daily garb of black suits and bold lies.



©Susie Clevenger 2013

You can read more about the man made and natural threats to the Mantella here.

Hannah at Real Toads informed us that today is Save The Frogs Day and challenged us to give a voice to a frog. Each living thing on our planet is precious and we sadly we are losing too much life by our neglect. Transforming Frog Day!



Comments

Margaret said…
Black suits and bold lies!! Killer line. And what a handsome frog he is!
Vandana Sharma said…
Very powerful expression of a frog's plea.
Maggie Grace said…
So well done...the mission set out for us. Your excellent expression of this beautiful frog's eventual demise. Agree with Margaret...Black suits and bold lies. Not just for frogs.
Kay L. Davies said…
Fabulous, Susie. That's telling it like it is. "So what's one poisonous frog more or less?" I hate that there are still people who believe humanity was given dominion over the earth. Taking the Old Testament literally is just ridiculous.
K
Hannah said…
OH my word!! You rocked this prompt through and through!!

You've delivered the frogs message, (plea), creatively, the tone and poignant punch of your awesome title cycling around to get us in the gut in the ending, yes!!

I love your response...thank you so much Susie for writing!
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Fabulous write, Susie......"grain to feed the immediate while leaving the future to starve". It could not be said better.
Helen said…
I learned more about frogs in one day than I've learned in my lifetime! Great poem, Susie ~~ that image is wild!
Kerry O'Connor said…
The voice of this poem is so strong, Susie. I love the transition from the first to last stanza - many ways to dress to kill.
Ella said…
Bravo...
The last line killed it!
I love it!
Susan said…
OUCH! This poem is urgent and gorgeous. Perhaps Hannah should publish a book of these poems?