#007 Monday, March 21, 2022

Harbingers of Spring

It's lightly raining
a cool 45 and dropping
barometer falling
with twilight comes activity
mostly unseen
seemingly invisible, dream like

Done up with hip waders, raincoat
Rainhat and layers
polypropylene and wool
ready for the wet, windy and cold
yet, my ears sticking out
on full alert

I'm a two-legged
lumbering giant
with a cyclops eye (headlamp)
in one hand
a wandering search light
probing the liquid darkness

Above the wind
slicing thru the pattering of slow rain
ahead, a sound akin to sleigh bells
Tinkling, peep, cheep, zzzt peep
the chorus sings steady , strong
monotone on a theme of peep

I close my eyes and absorb
my genetic past
selectively listening
detecting individuals
the collective whole,
pulsing with life

This ephemeral place
these vernal ponds
late winter, spring
then gone with summer
no predators, fish or turtles
minimal human interference

Tonight it 's spring peepers
Pseudacris crucifer
that catch my ear
catch my heart
open my heart
caught up in tonal memories

A high pitched piping whistle
a single clear note repeated
at intervals of about a second
there is a terminal upwards slur
which ends sharply, peeeeep!
Peeeeeeep !!!!

Pseudacris, is the genus of the chorus frog
Small frogs, barely an inch or so
the males sing out, joining together in chorus.
The species 'crucifer'
they bear a cross up on their backs
harbingers of spring.

Mr. Jeff Menzer
March 8, 2022