June Bug

When I was a child
we'd catch June bugs
with rainbow shells
tie strings
on their back legs
let them fly
like bug airplanes
buzzing
at the end of
tiny line
the vibration
coming through
the thread like
electric shocks
often a tug too
hard would
release the leg
away they would go
our flying machine
one leg shy of
a full complement
living out brief
June bug life
with an offset gait
any time he landed
going on finally to
June bug heaven
where he
smiled upon the face
of June bug god
and was glad
that the anchor
looped on his tiny
leg by the
grinning monster
was gone
even if he had
phantom pains
for a leg
left in
Tennessee grass
embraced by
a sliver of
thin white thread
and the summer
sun.


Home                                Next