The Mystery of Light

THERE ARE 43 SPECIES OF FIREFLIES IN INDIANA

            --for Brent Wheat, Journal Review,

              Crawfordsville, Indiana, The Indiana State Legislature,

              and Bristol Zoo Big Bugs, UK.

June and firefly season.

The mystery of light

provided by an ordinary beetle.

Current legislation in the pipeline

makes the "Say's Firefly"

State Insect of Indiana--

House Bill 1243

with lots of authors--

taking effect 1 July 2016.

Pyractomena angulata, congratulations.

Oh, bright spark!

The light in your tail,

this amber light--

refusing to be understood as enzyme

and chemical reaction--

this cold light, efficient

but without much heat,

flashing to attract mates.

Male flying in circles

while females sit

on tall blades of grass,

flashing with the urgency

of a two-week life span,

Gentle "Big Dipper,"

common one delighting us

in the night sky with bioluminescence,

yellow-green glow

coming from your belly,

first the flash,

followed by a 2-second pause,

flashing upward in a "j" curve

into darkness.

Jim Bodeen

22 June 2016--2 July 2016