Remove a tadpole’s nourishment
Chase her to a drain
Abandon precious favorites
Ferment her baby brain
Abuse her secret nightgown
Ridicule growth
Serve her legs for dinner
Slicing malformed toes
Box her spirit daily
Hide it in the shed
Salt her eyes on weekends
Eventually, it ends
Tadpole swims away
Slips to a different muddy pond
Slightly changes colors
Learns full-throated songs
Mimics natural pondlife
Water lilies bloom
Springs and summers pass away
But tadpole’s never gone
She’s sheltered by the scum
Not coming up for air
Almost sleeping underwater
But never disappeared
Betray a former victim
And you’ll never trick again
The residue from tadpole-hood
Inspires creativity: revenge