Chaotic squadrons of
primary-colored, glass-wings
reconnaissance before the mower.
Flairful acrobatic killer drones
with bulb-eyed precision
nab mid-flight mosquitoes.
On leave, they dust daisies
and drink honeydew from
ant farms on hollyhock stalks.
They bivouac on cattails
under luna’s night watchful eyes.
Laura Bloomsbury is today’s host at dVerse. Laura says:
- Pen a poem that is about FLYING/FLIGHT (NOT FLEEING)
- Take ONE or MORE of our natural winged phenomena – bird, bat, insect, seed, flying fish! (but NOT mythical creature with wings, NOT mechanical objects either)
- Your poem can be purely literal or mixed with metaphor or even allegory
- Write as subject or object; 1st or 3rd person
- Preferably use FREE VERSE (like Sandburg & Lawrence above) as that best suits the subject of flying!
When I was about 12, there was a pound down the street that always had dragonflies in it and we used to throw rocks at them because they were scary.
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Are you talking about an animal shelter kind of pound? I bet you never hit any, and if you did, watch out. I think God is a giant dragonfly and won’t be happy when you get to the pearly gates.
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It was a swampy looking pond and I never got close enough to hit any.
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Dragonfly larvae are fierce-looking water predators. Probably lots of good eats in the swampy looking pond.
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I adore dragonflies, Lisa! We have them in our garden and I have a dress with dragonflies on it, two dragonfly brooches, a necklace and earrings, amongst other dragonfly adorned objects. They are indeed ‘primary-colored’ and ‘glass-winged’. My favourite image in your poem is in the lines:
‘They bivouac on cattails
under luna’s night watchful eyes.’
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❤ awesome, Kim! I don't have any decor or jewelry with them, but they are my buddies in the yard. There really is a squadron that flies ahead and around me when I mow, and they do love to chase each other in the fields, just over the tops of the plants. Thanks!
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How lovely.
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🙂 Thank you, Sadje.
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You’re welcome
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I would love to see and marvel at their beauty again!
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I’d love it if you could also. They are fun to watch.
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I find dragonflies a bit scary too. there’s something mechanical about them which I think comes over in your poem.
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Yes, they are like small living machines to me. Good catch, Jane.
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I prefer damselflies. Maybe it’s got something to do with the way they fold their wings like butterflies when they land rather the keeping them straight out like the wings of a plane.
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🙂
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Fabulous poem! The short lines and powerful imagery feels like how they move. Loved the video too!
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Heather, thank you for your take on the poem and glad you enjoyed the video also 🙂
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You are welcome!
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LOVE this. Each line is wonderful and the descriptions of imagery are excellent.
“On leave, they dust daisies
and drink honeydew from
ant farms on hollyhock stalks.”
Amazing writing here; those are just immersing lines to read, and they are very evocative to nature. What a fantastic piece.
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Thank you, Lucy. They work hard, they play hard, and the sleep soundly 😉
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good show Li. really like “bulb-eyed precision”
and the alliteration really fits well.
we have these flourescent green ones by the river here…
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So glad you enjoyed it, ‘erb. They love being near water; it’s their birthplace.
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You took me to a magical world Lisa! Thank you 🙂
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Thank you and my pleasure, Christine 🙂
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I just loved this! Took me in right as I started reading it 🙂
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So glad, Kathleen, thank you 🙂
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We really don’t get dragonflies in these parts; nor lightning bigs either–just mean old wasps and hornets. You had me at “they dust daisies and drink honeydew at ant farms on hollyhock stalks”.
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So interesting to think there are places in the world without dragonflies. They are like flowers in summer here. I see wasps and hornets around and sometimes they build paper nests in the trees or on the side of the garage, but they pretty much keep to themselves. Mosquitos are the big pest bug here, those vicious little things! Ants can sometimes get in the house, which really has be going bonkers. Glad you enjoyed the poem, Glenn 🙂
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Love it, love it, love it. Love the art image, love the poem, love the video. Wow, triple crown girl! 😉
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Thanks much, JP, it was fun writing this one.
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I also love dragonflies, even though it takes hundreds of them to make a half-way decent snack.
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LOL Sweet or savory?
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Love your imagery in this and your use of words … these lines really appeal
“ant farms on hollyhock stalks.
They bivouac on cattails
under luna’s night watchful eye”
delightful thanks Lisa!
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Thanks much, Kate!
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most welcome!
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A dragonfly flew across my path the other day. I’ve never seen one that far from water. Wonderful description of their magical movements. (K)
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Kerfe, that is a good sign! Glad you like the poem.
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That’s good to know.
I forgot to tell you how much I like the illustration also.
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A skillful use of words and imagery, Jade…I loved your poem.
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Thank you, Judy, glad you enjoyed the poem 🙂
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I like the military imagery you used to effectively describe the amazing dragonflies, Lisa! and gotta love the word “reconnaissance”…I used it too 🙂
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Ah! I need to check out your poem. Thanks for the kind words, Lynn 🙂
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Your imagery is fantastic, Li! I love their iridescent wings.
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Punam glad you enjoyed the poem, thank you. Yes, such pretty iridescence. I love their beauty and the way they move.
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So do I! I have very cherished memories of my daughter as a toddler running after them and calling them ‘danggerfly’!😊
You are so welcome.
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❤ 🙂
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kaykuala
Flairful acrobatic killer drones
with bulb-eyed precision
nab mid-flight mosquitoes.
Amazing! seen them, bulb-eyed catching mosquitoes, yes! Never knew they are scattered in many countries. Best of all they are positively led for us to emulate. Wonderful info Jade!
Hank
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Thank you for your wonderful and thoughtful comment, Hank.
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I love that you didn’t use birds for your flight of fancy!
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🙂
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You’ve obviously observed dragonflies closely. Wonderful poem!
I’ve noticed so many more dragonflies about this year–or what I think are dragonflies. 😀. If they eat mosquitoes, I’m happy to have them about.
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I was a very outdoorsy child and my grandparents lived near a creek and marshland. I’ve taken many walks in the dunes and fields around the area. Since moving here in 2011 they are just part of the landscape 🙂 Thanks, Merril. Glad you enjoyed the poem.
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Great educational poem Lisa. Love the video on Dragonflies. Think how many more Mosquito bites we would have without them around!
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Glad you enjoyed the poem, and yes!
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I’m finally getting around to reading the other responses to this prompt. I was stumped by what to write, so I started with yours. I only got two lines in and right away thought of dragonflies I see while kayaking. Their flight and sudden change of direction made me think of swallows, so I left your poem to write mine. Thank you for the nudge. 🙂
You’ve captured the dragonfly’s mid-flight acrobatics, and “glass wings” is perfect.
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Ken, glad to have been of service. I’ve added dragonflies to my visualization of you kayaking now 🙂
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Lovely, especially those opening lines
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Laura, thank you.
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I love dragonflies and you have captured their elusiveness so well!
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Thank you, Linda 🙂
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I love dragonflies but didn’t really look at them as having “glass” wings. I do have one tattooed on my arm. They are so beautiful. I bet those wings would shatter at the lightest touch.
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Glad you connected with them, Christine.
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I just saw a glowing green dragonfly outside my back door. However, they are camera shy.
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Neat you’ve got one near your house. I’ve never tried to take a pic of one, and that’s probably why.
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Yeah, they do not wish to be immortalized.
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Dragonflies are the best and I fell in love with your words.
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Very happy to hear it and glad they navigate in your neck of the woods.
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They sure do.
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