Capturing Poem by Liilia Talts Morrison

To catch a tiger by the tail
To seize a dragonfly
To pierce a butterfly's frail wings
Possessing them thereby

That is the quest of those who hunt
And them who gather things
The skilled attempt of silversmiths
To fashion them on rings

Today I saw fine jewelry
In shapes of elves and sprites
And ruby throated hummingbirds
In golden garnet flight

What fairer gifts could damsels seek
Than passion flowers in rows
Alighting on their graceful necks
In amethyst repose

But I will not a tiger catch
Or trap a dragonfly
Nor will I swat a pretty moth
That's hovering nearby

My hunt consists of rarer gems
The kind that have no price
I scout the night for sapphire skies
On winter's diamond ice

The treasures often sought by some
Gems shaped by cunning hands
Can not compare to those I seek
Brought forth by God's command

To catch a tiger by the tail
To seize a dragonfly
To pierce a butterfly's frail wings
In capturing they die.