A toad

found floating
in a rain-filled watering can
in my garden.

Alive.

How did he get in there?
How long had he been in there?

Were his thoughts of despair
that this would be his slow, saturated end?

Were his thoughts of hope
that something would come to free him?

Or were his thoughts none at all
as he hopped through life
moment by moment
without any concern
of what the next moment would bring?

Either way
I tipped the can
and drained the water
and he didn’t even hurry
to escape
from his would-be watery grave.

So I left the can prostrate
so that he could hop out
and continue his life
and his moments
at his own leisure.

I was his savior
and he didn’t even care.

He didn’t even
seem to know.

 

-published 2017 edition of Spring Thaw! Itasca Community College