On Fireflies
Alexis Wright
I saw a firefly today —
just one, or maybe two.
The soft light glowing
From its posterior created
Within me a nostalgic bliss
That reminded me to smile
In the midst of a fading season.
As I watched the pulsing light
Floating before my eyes, I allowed myself
To notice the beauty of the bug’s performance
Against the backdrop of a waning day.
It was only as the world grew darker,
That I found myself better able to appreciate
The elegance of the firefly’s luminescence.
I’ve no clue why I care
So much for these lightening bugs.
Perhaps they remind me
Of the childhood I’ve left behind
And the imaginative innocence
I yearn for even now that I must
Entertain a practical reality.