Wawona Hotel, Yosemite: Listening to Frogs in the Snow
Robin Michel
Unseen frogs are making such a ruckus. No one sleeps.
Expecting a night sky of stars, only one star visible above
the emptied pool filled with croaking frogs.
What are they screaming about? Perfect love?
Like twisting one’s ankle in the sludgy mud,
even love makes a misstep, stumbles across an imperfection.
Perfect Man meets Perfect Woman. Or so they thought.
The Perfectly Smart Frog Prince asked his new love over dinner,
“Do you know your state capitals,” and recoiled in horror
when the Perfectly Stupid Princess admitted she did not.
What next? Only a perfect kiss will break the curse;
make love imperfectly right again.
About the Author
Robin Michel’s writing has recently appeared in Comstock Review, The MacGuffin, San Pedro River Review, South 85, Willawaw Journal, and elsewhere. She lives in northern California and provides communications services to the Sonoma County Junior College District. Robin is editor of How to Begin: Poems, Prompts, Tips, and Writing Exercises from the Fresh Ink Poetry Collective—to improve your poetry practice or start a group of your own (Raven & Wren Press, 2020).