Mantis Poems

Message To Mantis

To all the male members
of the praying mantis species
a word to the wise you guys
now pay attention to my theses
whether for fun you recreate
or to mate and procreate
it's something I really would not advocate
hold on tight to your pants
love at first sight is not romance
I don't care if you look
but never dare go so far
as to unhook her bra
and whatever you do don't lose your head
as before postcoital dysphoria sets in
the female will kill you dead
she'll make a meal of you
tear you limb from limb
and if you don't believe me
when did you last see our randy brother Jim?

The Song of the Lonely Praying Mantis

~
Way out there in the meadow
where the wildflowers sing
Sat a lonely praying mantis,
such a funny looking thing

From within the petal'd choir
came a perfect summer song
So, he climbed upon a bluebell
and began to sing along

His voice, a lovely harmony,
now echoed on the breeze
To drift above the columbine, 
meander through the trees

The sound so mesmerizing,
whisper soft along the rim
As if, now Sunday morning,
with a most angelic hymn

When then he noticed something,
as his lyrics came out loud
It seems his morning ballad,
had attracted quite a crowd

He finished serenading, 
as he took a breath to pause,
To hear the other mantis,
clap a chorus of applause

From that day forth his singing,
was now heard about the land
Each meadow he did visit,
found that he was in demand

so, 

it seems this praying mantis,
with his fans who do adore
His prayers have all been answered,
he's not lonely anymore

~

Mantis on the Screen Door

O Praying Matis,
what prayers do you post
through this wire netting?

Are you basking in the sun
or are you on the run
and hiding from the woodpecker
and the kingfisher
who snack upon green bugs
just like you?

Poor prayerful mantis,
so under appreciated
by those
who would feather their nests
with your holy carcass.

Keep praying -
for stronger mandibles,
yet larger claws,
for crunching and devouring
really are your natural faith.

Pray. pray, pray,
that one fine day
you will grow to six feet tall,
the very scourge of all -

and sundry.

Science Report or Who Prays for the Mantis

Praying mantises, those arthropod thugs,
prey upon other, unfortunate, bugs,
"But who prays for the praying mantis?", I ask, 
"And what lurks behind that killer's mask?"

After the males have fulfilled their function,
the females seem to lack compunction,
practicing sexual cannibalism, they say, 
enjoying a nice meal after a roll in the hay. 
While males consider this distasteful,
females say, "it's just not being wasteful". 

Is the praying mantis truly mean and vile?
In the insect world, he stands on trial. 
Speaking for aphids or ants or anything little,
I argue vigorously against acquittal.

Praying Mantis is Associated with Prayer and Luck

Praying mantis is associated with prayer
Also, good fortune, blessings, angels in the air
Derived from Greek word meaning prophet or type
A spiritual guest who sprinkles plenty of hype
They bring good luck to an ordinary garden you see.
There goes one now, blessing Old Mrs. McVee.

CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT MANTIS

CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT MANTIS


In one hundred years
I saw a thousand mantises
on this Christmas Eve another
descended unexpected gift
for a northern Lightwave
whilst I stared at singular 
Southern sky

She reminded about stillness 
strategy soundlessness
embodied etiquette 
empathy reflecting my
mirrors
we practiced prayers
exchanging piety for 
piquant dreams
from triangular head 
could I trust in timing 

Careful calm collected
one leg up slowly 
shake observe
turn head left
turn head right 

Awareness quivers on 
awaiting angle
divining a tiny trial of luck
focus no fidget 
its Christmas Eve 
ChristLight announced 
from a darkly 
lucid mantis womb 

Her greenstick keys 
unlock patient portals to 
my Eternal Heart


©GhairoDanielsPoetry
&Song2024

praying mantis eats her prey alive

A dead insect
Yuck!
The female praying mantis said.
Envisioning her tasty date alive when she bites off his head
He gives her a sweet smile
Unaware that to her
He is but a morsel best enjoyed
After they are wed.

Praying Mantis

Blurry eye balls - up to it close.
Right there
clinging
on the screen door swinging.

Mantis, a big bug come to mind-prey,
or are you praying to come inside?

A plus size Insectivore
at my door
basking in its own eerie light.

A deadly beautiful grin
wants to come in.

We are not alone
green aliens abound,
have been around
clinging to this spinning Earth
for all their worth.

Mantis-like, they have parked
their flying craft in our brains.

My blurry ball of sight - blinks.
I see you!
I see how you burgle my mind
then crunch it up
in your mechanical jaws.

You can't fool me -
I tremble at your stillness,
beat the air with my fist
but
you're always there
until you magically disappear.

Your black eyes bulge
at my fuzziness,
pierce through
my soggy-eyed vision

like it's me,
me that's the weird one!

mantis

monogamous not
awful courtmanship
nips off lover’s head
tally ho handsome
imponderable female
seduces new prospect

butterflies

garden day lilies
perch for yellow butterflies
hungry mantis meal

Song of The Praying Mantis No 8: ABBA

Naught lowlife, but pro-life; pin-up; wildlife,
like the Mantis, or the praying Mantis,
cockroaches and termites, close relatives,
there are stick ones or grasshoppers, half-life.
A year's life, they are ambush predators,
female practices sex cannibalism.
Supernatural power behold-ism
Greece, Assyria, Egypt, past overs.
Mantis are the most common insect pets,
twenty-four hundred species, tropical,
temperate too, visions are stereo,
triangular heads with long-winged-like jets.
They take a commanding pose faced menace,
China has two martial arts-styled Mantis.

Warrior M a Praying Mantis

Both armies scatter when they see warrior M appear
A fierce female mantis who always inspires great fear
Even her boy cousins no longer make fun or jeer
She has already made six powerful husbands disappear

Warrior M smiles as the armies disperse up and down the hill
Turning tail and running as if she is the ultimate scary Jill
Her armor, steed and spear have not one bit of female frill
Terrified males run away from her faster than lemons can spill

As you may have suspected, she bites off each head
The second her menfolk lure her into a room with a bed.
She cannot help being a mantis, her life is well-lead.
There goes an unsuspecting suiter, not-so-smart-Fred.

Miss Mantis

Oh, Miss Mantis
Oh so sublime
Why did you get me smiling like this? 
Saturday night sho' blew my mind

Oh, Miss Mantis
Oh so unkind
Why are you killing me like this? 
It's another Saturday night but you say you
have no time

Beware of the Pink Praying Mantis

Prissy pink praying mantis pretends no preference
Delightful dapper Dan, a suitor, gives her deference.
They dance a tantalizing tango with her cousin Ted.
Before the dance is finished, Dan has lost his sweet head.

Queen Madame Praying Mantis

Queen madame praying mantis dressed beautifully
after she eats her mates' heads off dutifully.
some have claimed that she acts snootily.
But I really like my queen who gasses out quite tootily.

• Short Mantis Poems
• Famous Mantis Poems
• Best Mantis Poems
• Read Mantis Poems
• Long Mantis Poems
• Mantis Quotes