Dragonfly Envy

A short, full life with no regrets.

A brush of iridescence

In a dance of summer days

Shimmies in the sunshine

On the rise and fall of

Dragon wings

 

Frenzied curls and dives

Above the water

The muted pounding of

A thousand tiny bodies

Dipped in blue-gold sky

The dizzy rush of instinct

Buzzing on the updraft

 

Only once, their day spins

Down, only once and then

No more.  Shining wings

Are broken things come sunrise

Lying still in a pool of

Damsel dreams

 

I do not mourn their passing

Their golden lust and clockwork glory

But how I envy them

The quick and sated death

When they part

 

-Zoe Richardson

Author's Note

Enjoy the imagery. Leave your thoughts if you like!

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

This is the second poem I have reviewed tonight which deals with mutability. Must be the season. Yes, there are worse things than a "quick and sated death." I once worked in a chronic care facility and can attest to the truth of that.

[Kerra]

Amazing imagery in this write, very well written as well

[Einstein Noodle]

oh my goodness .. sends chills up and down me self, Zoe! i do morn their passing .. seeing them in such glorious attire and skillful flight .. rainbows one and all ... your poem shows deep respect for lives short lived ... "The quick and sated death" ..sated being the primary word there ;))) I want to kind of walk into the forest and slowly fade into the surroundings .. i told my children that's what I'm going to do .. i don't think any of them believe me. :)))) wonderful poem ... put me there by the reeds and water in golden sunshine ...well done!
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I quite like this piece..."the dizzy rush of instinct" is sort of like how I approach love...

but instincts can play tricks on us, it can be iridescent, shimmering with playful false enticements...
then love is as short as a Dragonfly's existence...but hopefully just as fun.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Fragile creatures who fascinate with their movement as they dart above water. You have created some wonderful imagery here Zoe. I love to watch them on the river when we are boating in summer. A quick death is one to envy. Long and drawn out is often what the human species has to endure.

Chris