Natterjack

Gold cherry

By onemorething

Thu, 11 Jul 2024
  • 801 reads
14 comments
 

'Sweet are the uses of adversity which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel inside his head.' ~ Shakespeare, As You Like It.

 

I hold my beauty close inside me,

a tenderness of soft and gauzy,

nursed on the thought

that I was difficult to love.

 

A brambletoad, turbid with siltblood,

now I dreambeetle by moon's waters

when night pools its mirror to call from.

Once, the injuries of unlove made me

slackhearted and torment would sour

to disappointment.

 

Child of hemlock, the toadflower,

glandular in liver and spleen,

let me forget the ever dulling shine of hope,

let me rely instead upon expectation.

 

The fosser entombs,

packs his catacombs,

a hundred winters

for the gem inside my head,

a bone, an amulet torn from

the limestone temples of the dead.

Make me not an effigy of wax

to clasp between a mother's knees --

this natterjack is no maternal ease,

I promise

nothing.

 

Inspired by the folklore of toads, and in particular, the natterjack - that they were ugly and feared and also might heal or contain some alchemical magic (stone inside their heads or toad bones), fed hemlock and milked by witches too perhaps, some were buried alive to see if they could survive without food, light, water for years at a time. Also a wax effigy of a natterjack might be placed with a mother giving birth to take away pain. 

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Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

That last stanza really brings home the meaning of your poem. Such s sad sequence of events leading to the downfall of the poor Natter Jack.

I had never heard of this folk lore tale before, so it was good to learn something new.

Thank you.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks Jenny. Lots of strands of beliefs about the toad. Glad you enjoyed it. 

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Absolutely beautiful, as ever, and - also as ever - so much to learn! I knew toads in general were connected with witches and magic, but I hadn't realised the natterjack had such a particular place.

'I dreambeetle by moon's waters' - that's completely stunning, and the reference to relying on expectation rather than hope strikes a real chord.

Thanks you for this. It's made my day.

Submitted by onemorething on

Ah, thank you, airy fairy, your comment is a boost, a little wobblesome of late. Yes, witches and toads, I particularly like the scientific side of getting slugs to feed on hemlock, say, and the feeding the slugs to the toads, then milking the skin of the toads and having something for your potions...I didn't explain the feeding process properly above as I was in a rush at lunchtime. Very happy you enjoyed my beetling.

 

Submitted by celticman on

the gems are indeed inside your head. 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Oh, thank you, CM, my brain is a sieve these days, but maybe the sieve will catch the gem.

 

Submitted by marandina on

"A brambletoad, turbid with siltblood,

now I dreambeetle by moon's waters.."

Wonderful use of language, of course. And soaked in lore and magic.

"I promise

nothing"

...but your poem delivers everything :)

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks so much, really happy you enjoyed it.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

"Inspired by the folklore of toads" this beautiful poem by the Wonderful Onemorething is Pick of the Day! Please do share if you can

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks so much, Di, made my evening. 

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

What an absolutely wonderful poem onemore. Very well deserved golden cherries. The cruelty we inflict on animals is very hard to think about. I hope your wobbles lessen soon xx

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Ah thank you, insert. Just a little fragile, hoping it will pass soon. x

 

Submitted by Turlough on

I scrutinise toads when I see them but I try not to disturb them. They are beautiful in their own way. Demonised in folklore but they have a purpose in nature. And was there ever a story told about a toad that wasn't entertaining?

It's a great poem you've written. Your words capture the litte character's physical appearance, its home, its history and its place in legends. 

Turlough

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

This is magical and makes me want to do more research on these creatures. I've noticed how still toads are when disturbed, their metabolism perhaps but it can feel like they have a confidence in their own unique powers. It's a wonderful read.