Ph: Farm: Why Fireflies Dance Poem by Brian Johnston
Ph: Farm: Why Fireflies Dance
Pausing on a late trip to South Dakota
I pulled off of the highway
Somewhere in Kansas
And shut off the lights
Reflecting that it might be good
To clear the windshield of bug carcasses
That were only being smeared
Into a thin, barely transparent paste
By my windshield wipers at this stage.
As my eyes became used to the moonlit hollow
Where my vehicle purred quietly
I began to realize something was strange.
There were stars dancing that night
Whose light had never been
Gathered by a telescope,
A job, better left perhaps,
To a wide-eyed child with a ‘Ball Jar' & lid,
Than to a scientist living behind thick lenses.
Opening the car door, revelation struck,
Though alone in the dark, God was with me.
The valley in which I'd parked
Was teeming with more fireflies
Than I had ever seen
In the entirety of my uneventful life.
Even in the stupor of mechanical driving
I realized that by chance I had discovered
What might just be the ‘eighth wonder of the world.'
The air was full of ecstasy
And my impoverished heart simply enchanted.
The fireflies in their mating frenzy
Made the full moon seem
The victim of an incredible meteor shower,
Flashes of light exploding on lunar surface
As each projectile ended its journey,
This illusion blurred only slightly
By less ambitious brothers and sisters
Whose ardor blotted out the milky way
Stretching horizon to horizon
As they flashed the opposite sex.
Still, all in all, it was quite a show.
These moon striking invertebrates,
Faux-astronauts though they were,
(Unlike us, leaving no debris behind to litter)
Giving up their tiny ghosts over and over,
Adding a buggy visual pun to the night
Clearly suggesting, that in romance at least,
All of us experience multiple crash landings.
February 14,2014
This poem is dedicated to my honorary God-Daughter (who is perhaps the 9th wonder of the world in my life right now) , the upcoming poet Neethu Panicker right here on Poem Hunter, and my friends Lora Colon, Ed Nigma, and Tapan Pradhan for their much valued support and comments. A psychic once told me that I had been St. Valentine in a previous lifetime. Don't suppose she will like this poem much! But just in case I was, I wish all my PH family a great Valentines day.
And also a note of appreciation to the group Sixpence None The Richer and their song 'Kiss Me' which contains the line 'Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance until the moon is sparkling.' This line and my personal experience are both at the heart of this poem.
I love to watch the fireflies at night casting their luminence all around us. Used to see them during my schooldays away from the city but not seen them around for a long time now. A wonderful poem Brian.
I really liked it! Heart-felt and mesmerising in all the ways!
It is still a favorite rite of summer, to watch for the sprinkling of fireflies light...returns my heart to childhood wonder..and relish in God's perfect might.... what an illuminating write, thank you for your creativity and clever colorful imagery. PEACE
What a wonderful, awe-inspiring poem from your personal experience. Well written and deserving of a large readership. Thanks for sharing it with me.
Hi, Brian. An evocative poem. It reminded me of a couple of things: Richard Wilbur's Mayflies poem, and a night on a glass-calm remote inlet where perfect darkness was lit up by raindrops striking the water and causing bursts of bioluminescence. Some experiences are so beautiful they're hard to express in words. Your poem achieves that pretty well.
Thanks John! Comparing my work to Richard Wilbur is high praise indeed to me! He is one of my most favorite poets. You might take a look at my poem PH: College: Love of ______ that was a college attempt to honor his poem Love Calls Us To The Things Of This World I hope you like it too!
What an experience! I've lived a long time but have never seen a firefly, at least not that I can remember. I think I used to have a good memory, but can't remember for sure.
Great piece of work. i enjoyed your style of narration....Poetic experience at display.... well written!
wha What a wonder-filled poem, Brian! ! From the first line to the end I was captivated by this NATURAL display of beauty AND your commentary on its significance in human terms. The pacing of the poem is admirable, and it benefits from such pacing so that each sections brings us new delights and appreciation and also a cumulative joy which cinches the poetic vision we have witnessed. An experience like this is the antidote for despair and/or boredom which so many in the world today use to excuse their lack of delight and gratitude. THEY need your poem in the most urgent manner. Then they will relax into WONDER and HOPE, and be saved....
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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3/22/2023 4:03:00 AM # 1.0.0.1112
p.s. WHY do FIREFLIES DANCE? ? ? ? ? ? ? :) I DON'T remember seeing the answer. is it to amuse or enchant humans?