Time at last for my traditional yearly posting of this poem.

I always post it the first time I see the lightning bugs come out to play. An odd thing- it's late in the season because I usually only get the chance to walk in the dark while walking Lady, my sister's Lab. But that entire neighborhood seems to be totally bereft of fireflies this year. I discovered that they are indeed out in force, but in a completely separate neighborhood.

What the hell is happening to my beloved childhood symbols???

Enjoy.
---

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.

© 2009 Steven A. Hessler
All Rights Reserved

(We never called 'em fireflies!) Thanks for this poem and the memories. I'm a little ashamed to say that as kids we used to smear their lightning butts down our faces like glowing war paint! And we made lanterns! Here's to an abundance of lightning bugs coming soon to your neighborhood!

Ah, lovely!

I remember reading this one last year...and probably the year before that...

I love the imagery, and the way the rhythm bounces along!

Thank you, sweetie...:hug: