Evening Patrol

Water nymph, you have
climbed from the shallows to don
your dragon-colors.
Perched on a reed stem
all night, shedding your skin, you dry
your wings in moonlight.

Night melts into day.
Swift birds wait to snap you up.
Fly, dragonfly! Fly!


Fly, Dragonfly!, by Joyce Sidman


It's that time in late summer when hundreds of dragonflies come out in the evening and patrol over the yard, fields, and marsh, hunting mosquitos. It is a sign that, bug-wise, the worst is over and we will soon be able to enjoy hanging out around the house again.

I knew capturing the experience on my iphone was hopeless, but in a fit of silliness decided to try. I wandered down the driveway, attracting bugs, waving my camera around in the air snapping tons of photos as the dragonflies zoomed around. After a bit some smaller birds, perhaps finches, also appeared and were swooping about in the air, apparently going after the dragonflies. Soon a hawk emerged from the woods, perched on a snag at the edge of the field, and observed the proceedings, no doubt eyeing the finches. There I was, part of the great circle of life. A family of turkeys poked their heads out of the long grass and looked around cautiously, seeming to wonder what craziness I was up to. 

Finally I had enough and went back inside to sift through whatever I managed to get. I had to clean the screen off to figure out if I was looking at dragonflies or dust. After a bit I came up with the image above and, all considered, am pleased.