there once was a small pond
with a duck in it
and by its bank a weeping willow
where lived a solitary cricket

they were both very lonely
but not for each other

I think they knew, or at least they believed
that amongst their own kind
they might better see what they were

so “quack quack” went the duck, often
and “cricket, cricket” went the cricket
at least as much, if not more

I suppose they were silent sometimes
living things quickly die without sleep

but time is no cure for loneliness
night by day, year by year
they “quacked” and “chirruped” and strained to hear
an answer to their cries

until at last one day
oh God! a sound, nearby…

…a solitary frog
“ribbit, ribbit”
said the frog.