Gabriel, Elijah and the Frog

A long time ago in the land of Oodijah,
Lived Gabriel the Elder and younger Elijah,
Now Gabriel was four when Elijah was born,
And they were good brothers from that very morn.

They loved to do everything always together,
They’d fish and they’d swim and play ball with a tether,
They’d read and learn math and they both were quite smart,
They would run and ride bikes and play Mario Kart.

These two were now older they asked their fine mother,
We’d like to go hiking just brother and brother,
We’ll walk to the ocean and then to the park,
So Mom packed a lunch and said, “Be home by dark.”

Now Gabriel Elijah as they were good scouts,
They readied their backpacks then gave gleeful shouts,
“Don’t worry a bit Mom, don’t worry at all,
We’ll be home for our supper, be home by nightfall.”

They headed right out to the path in the forest,
They walked toward the ocean near foot of Mount Torrest,
They walked most the day ‘til they felt the noon heat,
So they found two big rocks and they sat down to eat.

No sooner than they would but take a big munch,
They heard a small voice say, “I’m hungry for lunch.”
The brothers they looked and they spotted a log,
And perched right on top was an odd looking frog.

Yes, this frog was quite different than any they’d seen,
For it was multicolored not regular green,
It had red and orange stripes and blue polka dots,
And the stranger thing still it just talked lots and lots.

Elijah walked up the frog and said “Hi”,
“We’d like to be friends, Yes, my brother and I”,
“Then you would be first,” the frog said as he cried,
“But, I have no frog friends at all”, then he sighed.

So Gabriel spoke up, “I have thought up a clue,”
“We’ll take you to our Dad; he’ll know what to do.”
“If there is a problem that’s hard to work out,”
“Then Dad is the one we would ask so don’t pout.”

Elijah and Gabriel headed right back,
The frog sitting safely inside their backpack,
They showed their proud Mother the frog that they had,
She looked in the backpack and saw he was sad.

So Mom said to the boys, “Now Dad’s in his study”,
So they hurried right in there with their small frog buddy,
“This frog has no frog friends; we’re really not sure,
What to do at this point, Dad; do you have a cure.”

“We’ll it’s obvious you two are friends with him now,
But we’ll help him find some frog friends oh and how”,
Dad talked to the frog; yes he had a name Hoke,
“Do you know how to speak to the frogs with a croak?”

“Oh can I”, spoke Hoke, “I can croak like the rest’”
“I can croakity croak, yes, my croak is the best!”
Then Dad said to Hoke “Why don’t you live right here?”
“There’s a creek right out back, and there’s many frogs near.”

“Just speak to the frogs with a croak and you’ll find”,
“You’ll have many fine frogs friends and they will be kind”,
And Hoke did find frog friends they laughed and they croaked,
And they swam in the creek ‘til their toes were all soaked.

Now Hoke is a teacher to all his frog pals,
Yes he teaches English to frog boys and gals,
Elijah and Gabriel play with them too,
For they were the brothers that helped Hoke, it’s true!

Peter Lowell Paulson
April 5, 2011