one of my
greatest pleasures
as a kid in ohio
was catching
lightning bugs
fireflies
don't see them much
anymore
not like i used to
and how i miss them
right around sunset
you'd look and
::blink::
a sudden tiny light
::blink::
look look another one
::blink::
there's one over there
::blink:: ::blink::
there's some over here
lookit by the woods
there's a whole mess of em
::blink:: ::blink:: ::blink:: ::blink::
mom can we catch lightning bugs
she'd get us a container
if glass she'd say
don't run
you'll fall and break it
you'll cut yourself
and away we'd go
::blink::
come to papa
::blink:: ::blink::
rats i missed
::blink::
GOT ya
then when we'd catch one
we'd say
*i wonder
i wonder
why lightning bugs
don't thunder*
i don't know why
tradition i suppose
but we always said it
::blink::
karen there's one on your head
aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
then she'd get mad
::blink:: ::blink::
got im
we'd catch a whole mess of em
oooooh pretty
watch them flashing
some slow :: b l i n k:: ::b l i n k::
some in rapid fire succession
:blinkblinkblinkblink::
we'd watch them awhile
and then
let them go
watching as they traced
patterns of light
in the darkness of night
zigzagging here and there
competing with the stars
lights above
lights below
o, how we loved
to watch them glow

(c) karla dorman, 2003