The Slug and the Toad (a Tanka)


A Black Pacific Sideband Slug, or a native Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus) in a darker morph.

Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas), a native species to the Pacific Northwest.


A Mudlark jumping his shadow




The Slug and the Toad (a Tanka)


The long black slug said
“I’m the largest slug worldwide.”
The brown toad replied
“That’s awesome, but can you leap
over your shadow.”







Ivor Steven (c) October 2025

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ivor20

G'day, and welcome to my blog site. My name is Ivor Steven, I live in Geelong, Australia. I'm an ex-industrial chemist, and a retired plumber, and a former Carer of my wife(Carole), for 30 years, who suffered from severe MS. I Write poetry about those personal thoughts, throughout and beyond my life as a Carer. I've been blogging for over 2 years, and writing poems for 19 years. Of course a lot of my poems are about my favourite subject Carole, but since I've been blogging my writings have become quite varied, humourous, mystical, observational, and even a few monster/horror poems.

19 thoughts on “The Slug and the Toad (a Tanka)”

  7. Aw! So cute, so sweet…a beautiful conversation between Slug and Toad! 😉 😀
    Ah! Shadow-leaping is quite a talent! 🙂 Congrats, Mudlark! 😉
    What a powerful song/vid!
    (((HUGS))) ❤️❤️❤️
    PS…this posting reminds me that all creatures (and us humans) have different abilities, purposes, and talents, but all are important and meaningful. 🙂

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    1. Thank you for your wonderful comments, Carolyn … and as you know, all critters great and small are nature’s treasures for me to explore and write about in my critter friendly poems … 🐛🐌🐞🦉🐧🦅🦘🐶💙🌏📘

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