Standing among among fireflies at dusk,

The late dusk of mid summer

The little lights heartened me,

lifted me up and made me see how they

in their fragility, had courage.

Tiny creatures, flashing across a few feet

of darkness.

To them it must be as miles as for me

my little troubles  are as continents.

Something gentle and slow in their lights

Something grounding.

In the big city buzzing and humming,

The machines cooling air or heating water.

They come here.  This is their narrow world

Where are they in the blazing sun?

Where are they hidden in the noonday heat?

Coming at dusk not to me, but to the leaves,

the pools of darkness, damp flowers.

Fireflies, blinking their lights

To challenge darkness and to enlighten me.