Jarfly

It's that time soon here where I live

Noble Cicada Hemiptera    

Froghopper's distant sister

Golden Priest of  Tang

consort of Shinning Genji -

 

wake from Dog Star sleep

drop brittle robed skin

dry glass hyaline wings

open horry headed scarlet eyes-

 

seek asylum among leafy green

in hiding from Spotted Katy

ignoring her deadly trilling

romantic enticement serenade-

 

scold not Eos with niggling cries

pitiful plight is selfish loathing

for life vocation as Muses' spy

not misdeeds others blamed-

 

consistently through summer   

chattering high within the trees  

as ancient blind guides of Troy         

slandered tragic Helen's beauty.

                        ---

Author's Note

Jarfly: I knew you when young
through yard in shoe-less feet
shaking you to hear swan song
out of reach by pursuing brother.

Reviews

[FGFRANKLIN]

I picked up a cicada skin off a nearby bush outside and showed it to my daughter. She thought it was scary. But you know little girls and insects don't always mix. They are rather gruesome looking creatures and raise quite the cacophony. I think all bugs are cool. I bought her an insect encyclopedia and she liked that. It had coloring pages too. We now play a game we made up called, What Animal Am I? We give the other facts about the animal and try to guess. I'll have to try the cicada on her one of these rounds. Great poem. Thanks for the word "horry" which I had to look up. I thought perhaps you meant "hoary" but the word "horry" certainly applied to the insect and their shed exoskeletons. F.

[W. Barrett Munn]

This poem to me has such strong overtones of Ezra Pound and TS Eliot.
Kind of a marvel to read.

Winston

[carl]

Yikes, that is overwhelming, thank you for the read and review, so appreciate the encouragement.

[Chris]

Smiles...

Your Author's Note brought to mind childhood memories of innocent and naive` times. The cares of adults were a life's time away.

The main poem - to me - is a reminder of life touching us (and all) in its own sweet time and ways.

[carl]

Thank you, Chris for the read and review, glad you got something from my effort. Your comment on the poem itself is very reveling for me considering the numerous times and places that the cicada shows up in the lives of people. again thanks.

[Lisasview]

Well, dear Carl my first encounter with the large and at that time scary cicadas was in in Brazil... they hid behind the painting that was behind the bed... wnd went crazy for the night...no sleep ofcourse...
There were brothers and sisters all over that small bedroom... Yuk... but I did not know of their history until now...
Thank you for that and your very interesting poem.
lisa, now in Spain...no big black cicadas here...

[carl]

thank you for the read and review much appreciate the encouragement - take care - carl

[Lisasview]

You are most welcome..dear Carl

[Dave Brown]

I had to research this for two reasons
I didn't recognize the reference to a cicada and have since found they do not inhabit our specific region
I do relate to the cricket which entertains us around dusk until they are upset by some sound and instantly become quiet
And the reference to Helen and Troy
Altho' I was aware of some of Troy's history, my lazy brain and limited education never led me into the depths of ancient mythology, however this will provide me with a reason to do some reading

[carl]

thank you for the read and review. Much of this I was unaware and found by research of a sort when I decided to write a poem about cicadas. was pleased to find so many cultures and time periods mentioned this bug that I have been familiar with since a child. I was especially pleased with Homer as I am a fan of the Iliad and the Odyssey. take care and thanks again for the read. -carl

[Neville]

...................... I love listening to them & falling asleep to their song .. this proved to be more than a poem, but an education too sir

[carl]

Thanks for the read and review, much appreciated

[willweb]

Pretty cool Carl. I love to hear cicadas as their song wafts wave-like through the twilight summer trees.

[carl]

as always, appreciate the read and review. They are strange creepy creatures, didn't realize their famous heritage till reading about them. Taks care and thanks.