Surprise in a Box

 Surprise in a Box

Hand delivered today, a box.

A box from Florida. 

A box from my sister, Jeannie.

I hesitated for a second or two.

My birthday isn’t for three more days.

But, heh, maybe it’s wrapped inside. 

Inside, yes,! That’s where I’ll go. 

I ripped it open, and found two eyes staring at me.

Surprised, I quickly closed the cover.

Then carefully peeled it back.

A frog!

A frog looking up at me.

A frog, I was sure, created by Jeannie.

It was a frog of shells, gathered on Florida Beaches.

My birthday frog sits on a throne of driftwood and shells.

The frog himself is of shells as well,

And a bowtie of shark’s teeth.

He’s holding a pen in one hand and a book in the other,

A book of poetry by Thom Singleton.

He is a frog who has good taste in literature,

and, most likely, flies.