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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Dragonfly



Dragonfly

Your ancient soul
is ever becoming
something other.

You begin as egg,
hatch to water nymph,
give up gills, leave the larval shell behind
for air and light and sun.

You transform again and again.

You warm your wings.
You dance on air
in sudden, shocking beauty,
elegant and iridescent.

Jewelled, precious creature,
you warm your cold blood
in the light
and become the light.
You scatter and refract;
you become the rainbow.

Your head, all eyes,
sees in every direction
except
behind you,
where winter and death
are stalking.

Yet, you refuse them.
You live.
You know
your shimmering self
will be reborn,
again and again
to walk the water,
to dance the air,
to feed from the wind.

Words and photos are ©copyright Carol Steel.

8 comments:

Gwen Buchanan said...

Carol, this is lovely.

Carol Steel said...

Thanks, Gwen. I liked it too.

Jane Tims said...

Hi Carol. Love the poem, especially the dragonfly's inability to see behind him. Just a while ago the air was alive with dragonflies at our cabin. Now the air is filled with falling leaves. Jane

Carol Steel said...

Hello Jane,
Thanks for your comment. I always love watching dragonflies and appreciate their efforts to keep down the insect population. I'm happy you loved the poem.

Fireblossom said...

Very nice indeed, Carol. :-)

Carol Steel said...

Thank you,Fireblossom.

Crafty Green Poet said...

lovely poem, I'm always fascinated by the constant metamorphosis of insects...

Carol Steel said...

I love the metamorphosis too, Juliet. The world of insects is fascinating. Dragonflies are so adaptable.