photography · poetry

Dragonfly

Dragonfly
In my hand
Delicate
Fragile and

Beautiful.
I took you 
From the cat —
Still you flew.

I’m awed at
Your mettle.
You shimmer,
You settle,

And then you
Fly away —
The nothing
That you weigh

That fluttered
In my hand
Lingers — so
Fragile, grand


This is my second attempt at a Cethramtu Rannaigechta Moire, an Irish poetic form that requires 3 syllable lines in quatrains. The second and fourth lines rhyme.

It is in response to the W3 prompt this week from Sadje —

  • Write: a syllabic poem or: a poem in free verse;
  • Topic: “What inspires you to write?” or: “What inspires you to write poetry?”

It’s funny — but I think what inspires me to write a poem is often something that I can’t put into words. Like holding a dragonfly.


I scoured my photographs for dragonflies. Here are two:


16 thoughts on “Dragonfly

  1. Sally, this is so utterly delightful… I think I’ll have to try this form myself, having read several of yours… you really make it sing!

    Much love,
    David

    1. Thanks, David! I played around with other forms for this one, but when I sat with my idea this morning, the words just fell into place.

  2. Graceful flow and beautiful words, Sally! 💞💞💞 I love the nothing that it weighs lingering….that concept really struck me. 💞💞💞

    1. Thanks, Dawn. I’m so glad to hear that those words struck you.

      The day that I rescued the dragonfly from the cat and held it briefly in my hand, I thought, “There’s a poem. How do I describe this moment?” So when Sadje gave the prompt — what inspires you to write poetry — I tried to capture that. What inspires me are small moments like that.

      1. It never ceases to amaze me the smallest things that can spark creativity. Many times things that others take for granted!

Leave a reply to williamkendall1 Cancel reply