LESSONS LEARNED

 Haibun Monday.  Frank challenges us to recall school days, and I've chosen to extend that to lessons learned when I was a little older!   Submitted to dVerse, August 30, 2021

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LESSONS LEARNED

Once upon a time when I was a newly widowed princess, I fell in lust.  He was a finely turned, smooth-tongued frog.  Not listening to my inner voice, I was convinced my love would turn him into a prince/  (He was already handsome).  Time passed, and so did lust…and by the time I recognized the frog for what he was I was knocked off my lily pad and barely able to slosh out of the swamp.  

In the midst of lust, I’d purchased a pair of brass swans…the male leading, neck proudly extended and bill pointed skyward; the female followed demurely, eyes cast shyly downward.  In all the years after our relationship ended, she leads, cautiously watching for pitfalls and frogs, and he follows with his head in the clouds as usual.  On my garden wall, there sits a verdigris frog gazing skyward.  I call him “Frog,  formerly known as Prince”.

Be careful, princess

Listen to your inner voice

Avoid handsome frogs