The Firefly As Metaphor
The Firefly as Metaphor
Walk in twilight
Among the flashings of fireflies
Reborn from the earth below,
From the base of tall plants, to dispel
The fears of darkness, as their
Surprising orange -quick blooms
Twinkle the night shadows
Into a joyful game of hide and seek.
“Oh, I see one! But, oh! Now gone!
...Where will it rise next?” Then next?
Just beyond reach.
But
The hope remains.
Seeking the light,
Given for the catching and...holding!
The firefly sits on my palm,
Tickling, blinking,
Winking open its wings,but settling
Back a second more
To send a further silent sighing
Of the music of its mere, yet overwhelming
Present joy of experience — there, for us
Only several
Baker’s dozen times in a life — rare enough
For the tales of this summer anticipation —
To see and hold fireflies —
To go on passed on generation to generation:
“Step here! Silent now...Watch!”
Scan into the taller, dew-gathering
Undergrowth of the pink azaleas and then
Like magic from under the yellow forsythia.
They will appear to the children’s delighted screams
And our own aged heart’s shouting out,
“Watch now! Any second! They will
Jump out to kiss the moon!
And you will catch their glowing flight.”
********. *********. **********. ********
(C) sally Young eslinger 12/16/2020
Oh, Thanks be to God
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