imaginary gardens with real toads

Poetry is the art of creating imaginary gardens with real toads,
I don't know who said that
but I like it

It conjures up images of a watercolor garden

fantastical flowers made of silk
every leaf and petal
meticulously beaded with dew
and there in the center
on the velvet grass
is a giant spotted toad
glistening with slime
squat and lumpy
flesh and blood
surrounded by the lifeless
imitation of a garden