The chorus frogs in the big lagoon
Would sing their songs to the silvery moon.
Tenor singers were out of place,
For every frog was a double bass.
But never a human chorus yet
Could beat the accurate time they set.
The solo singer began the joke;
He sang, 'As long as I live I'll croak,
Croak, I'll croak,'
And the chorus followed him: 'Croak, croak, croak!'
The poet frog, in his plaintive tone,
Sang of a sorrow was all his own;
'How shall I win to my heart's desire?
How shall I feed my spirit's fire?'
And the solo frog in his deepest croak,
'To fire your spirit,' he sang, 'eat coke,
Coke, eat coke,'
And the chorus followed him: 'Coke, coke, coke!'
The green frog sat in a swampy spot
And he sang the song of he knew not what.
'The world is rotten, oh cursed spite,
That I am the frog that must set it right.
How shall I scatter the shades that lurk?'
And the old man bullfrog sang, 'Get work,
Work, get work,'
And the chorus followed him: 'Work, work, work!'
The soaring spirits that fain would fly
On wings of hope to the starry sky
Must face the snarls of the jealous dogs,
For the world is ruled by its chorus frogs.
I am busy working to bring Banjo Paterson's "Frogs in Chorus" to life through some unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you later.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore the poem's themes, structure, and meaning. You can also check out the gallery for other musical arrangements or learn more about Banjo Paterson's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "Frogs in Chorus" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.