Fireflies, glowworms, or: Lightning bugs

Poetry Partners #31

‘Fireflies at Dusk’, a poem by Malalai Khan of ‘Malalai Noor Khan’

Catching a glimpse
of tiny sparks,
Around the corner
away in the dark.

I run after them
in wild desire,
Were they embers
from a bonfire?

Or shooting stars
fallen from the sky,
Or specks of gold
that can fly?

I run again
in the dying dusk,
After the flickers
on beds of musk.

The lights become brighter
in the fading twilight,
Twinkling alone
in the warm night.

I run faster
beneath the trees,
But they vanish
into the fragrant breeze.

• Malalai Khan: https://malalaikhan.wordpress.com

An atom poem by ben Alexander of ‘The Skeptic’s Kaddish’

a mate
is what I
would

I must
attract
her so

flash
my green
amber

try to
sustain
gleam

no one
likes to
eat me

preda-
tors get
so ill

scent
and glow
repel

so the
biggest
threat

is you
kids who
catch

I can't
survive
glass

I need
air else
I drop

leave
me alone
child

enjoy
flashes
about

I flit
I rest on
trees

human
jars are
death

I need
vanish a
while

---

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

---

List of Poetry Partners