My traditional yearly post upon seeing the season's first firefly

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

I wrote this poem many many many years ago in celebration of one of the few truly universal signs of spring officially arriving. I like to post it after seeing the first lightning bug fly by me, flashing his signal in silent praise of the beginning of a new season of life.

Some here will remember this from last year. Some may not. I present it to all of you in the hopes it will brighten your evening the way this evening's sighting brightened mine.
---


LIGHTNING BUGS

Warm springtime dusk-- Just right
for barefoot-running through
the back-yard grass so cool
and tickley; fresh and nice--
The flashes happen suddenly,
hidden at the corner of an
unsuspecting eye--
Now stop! Stand still;
don't breathe or blink,
for they may see and fly,
unseen, away!
Now over there! Up in the trees!
As night sneaks up to cool the breeze;
a Flash! and Flash!
Before you know you're darting
here and there across
the night-dark grassy lawn,
hands snatching at
a million zillion flecks
of winking yellow light--
You reach, and catch!
Your Mason jar is full
of blinking midnight
magic-lantern fire!
So, giggling, off to bed--
You keep your jar safe by your head--
You drowse to sleep, and smiling, dream
of whirring through the night on wings of
sprinkly, starry, winking, twinkly light.

© 2008 Steven A. Hessler
All Rights Reserved

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear Prisoner_Number_Six!

I don't know what's wrong with the people in this forum!

This is a wonderful little poem...

I'm just now getting back on DU after dinner, dishes, and the news...


I love how the wordplay makes me see the fireflies!

Thank you so much, sweetie!

:hug:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. Thank you.

I know it's good. It's always been one of my top favorites- sometimes I read it and think "I wrote that???"...

Sadly, it's been a while since I've had that level of inspiration. Getting old in my old age, I guess.

[fizzgig]

2. wonderful imagery

i love fireflies but we don't have them here :(

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

4. In the State of Confusion (where you say you reside)

I'd think you would see nothing BUT flashing lights!

:evilgrin:

Thanks for the compliment!

[fizzgig]

8. lol!

that only happens on occasion ;)

[boilerbabe]

3. Haven't seen any in my yard yet...

Should be soon, though! thanks for the nice poem--it brings up some great imagery! I emailed to myself so I can save it...

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

6. Thank you.

Spring has sprung. Soon they'll be lighting up the night so brightly you'll be able to see straight on to morning.

[blonndee]

7. Beautiful!

One of many reasons I miss Oklahoma.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

11. I love Oklahoma

...the musical, anyway... :evilgrin:

Thanks!

[Critters2]

9. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

No lightning bus here yet, but the beagle ate her first June bug of the season last night. Crunchy goodness, apparently!

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

10. A June bug in May?

Seasonally inappropriate, to say the least. Bad puppy! :rofl:

[Critters2]

12. Yep, they're coming early this year.

I'll bet she wishes she had waited for it to ripen.

[grasswire]

13. the first time I saw fireflies was in Colonial Williamsburg

My mother had talked about them all my life, as an east-coaster transplanted to the Pacific Northwest (where there are none). I saw them first as an adult, wishing I could see her chasing them in the full flush of her youth. Pretty thrilling stuff.

Lovely poem, dear.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. To live a childhood without seeing the night magic- bummer.

Glad you finally got to see it.

[laconicsax]

14. When I read your thread title, the first thing I thought was

"Wait...didn't Firefly only run one season?"

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

15. LOL- hadn't thought of that- and I'm a Firefly fiend!

:headbang:

[DarkTirade]

17. Yes, they do look pretty flying across the night sky.