I’m just a toad
I don’t even croak.
I make a bizarre sound
Like a shriek
That seems to belie my
Predicament.
I live in one place in the world.
Must be very special.
Home is a river through the desert.
River through the desert?
Unlikely. That’s what I am.
That’s my life history, my habitat, my song.
And the supporters I’ve drawn.
So gather round me, little Amargosa toad,
Give me a hand
Give me a round of applause
For drawing untoward groups together.
You can all help my kind
Crawl toward recovery.
After all, I can’t hop.
-Margie B. Klein
I’ve been a freelance nature and education writer for 30 years, and spent a career as a naturalist, interpreter, and teacher. It is fulfilling for me to put forth nature’s story and gain empathy for it.