death of a naturalist

• all year the flax-dam festered
• bubbles gargled delicately
• but best of all was the warm thick slobber
• i sickened, turned and ran
• i knew if i dipped my hand the spawn would clutch it
• daddy and mammy
• gross bellied frogs
• the slap and plop were obscene threats
• the gap between the stanzas is a volta, from joy to immediate horror