Marilyn Rucker

Lyrics

Ballerina Frog

One little frog in a tutu
Another frog reading Camus
They hopped into a dairy at the end of the day
And fell into a vat of milk goo

Nobody saw it happen
They couldn’t get up or out.
The sides of the vat were steep and slick
No one heard their struggles or shouts

Philosopher frog was Stoic
He saw that they couldn’t get home
He composed himself for coming death,
And sighed as he slipped ‘neath the foam

Philosopher frog
I’m philosopher frog
I know there’s no way we can live.
There’s no logic or sense in struggling on.
I have zero croaks to give.

Dancer frog thought he was probably right
She grieved as he gave up the ghost
But something inside her
Made her keep moving
And twirling on her dainty webbed toes.

She pirouetted and sashayed and twirled
All through the long night ahead
She didn’t think about anything more
Than the music in her head


Ballerina frog
I’m Ballerina frog
I know I may not have a chance
But before I resign to this milky slime
I’m just gonna do a dance.

(Instrumental dance break)

In the morning the workers finally came back
And were amazed to see their milk vat
One dead frog floating near the bottom
The other on a butter pat.

She was sitting on a butter pat.

Ballerina frog
Ballerina frog
She wasn’t s’posed to have a chance.
But before she resigned to that milky slime
She gave it all one last dance.

Ballerina frog
Ballerina frog
She wasn’t s’posed to have a chance.
But before she resigned to that milky slime
She gave it a beautiful
Logically refutable
Not totally reputable
Appropriate or suitable
In the moment
In the present
And the moment
Is the present
Gave it all one last dance.