Review of "Toad" by Diane Seuss

"Toad" by Diane Seuss, a Writer in Residence at Kalamazoo College, was offered by Poets.org's Poem-A-Day on November 19, 2013.  A link to the poem, including the poet's notes, may be found here:

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/23760?utm_source=PAD%3A+Toad+by+Diane+Seuss+&utm_campaign=poemaday_111913&utm_medium=email

The poem is comprised of thirteen quatrains of uniform length with between eight and ten syllables per line.  The poem begins with the description of a toad that has been crushed into a road.  This reminds the poet of a live toad that she once found and held in her hand.

The coloration, fear, and helplessness of this live toad reminds the poet of her deceased father and grandfather.  It is apparent that her father died young and predeceased her grandfather.

The poem comes full circle, ending with the toad--but the living one rather than the crushed one.  The poet uses the present tense in the final quatrain, giving an immediacy to the emotions evoked.