It's five o'clock. Midgit cars zig~zag through the traffic train, dodging 18 wheelers. A mid~life crisis hovers next to me, engine idling, vinyl topped dream come true, naked to the sky. He winks when I notice him. A southern pick~up truck revs his engine. Any minute he's gonna climb over my hatch~back and ride right over me. I know it.I turn the radio up. Dig to the bottom of my purse and find the last piece of gum. Smack it. Smoke another cigarette. Hang my left arm out the window and pretend I'm a seagull.....
flying.....
And there, in the pretend sky, I fall to my knees. I should have scooped him up. The dragonfly on the sidewalk. I touched him. And he hummed. Fluttered his wings....just a little. I scooched him. Just a little. And he hummed in pain. I fetched a paper towel and a red cup and tried to pick him up, and I swear he sang to me....in sad operatic wails. And then I left him there. Wings fluttering in the breeze. Smack in the middle of the sidewalk where some busybody in the morning will kick him with their "I'm late, I'm late for a very important date" high heels. Left him there, with his wings fluttering from the "It's a cold snap" breeze. Because I didn't have the nerve to cause him anymore pain. To move him to the safety of the nondescript cool mulch where he could have died in peace.
And now,
frozen in the five o'clock gridlock,
I realize....
I should have just stayed with him....
Plopped down on the sidewalk and listened to the heartbeat of his wings...
Because
even if he wouldn't let me touch him...
He touched me....
20 comments:
He touched you and you'll never be the same.
A living thing.
All precious,,,all God's creations.
Salon parking lot,,
A pidgeon with a broken wing,
dodging cars.
We pooled our resources, and carried him gently to the vet across the street in an empty hairspray box.
Vet said he'd try,,he did,,and for free. Over time,our bird was again free too.
I just know your dragonfly felt your love,,,who wouldn't?
My daughter talks to the animals. Once, while a passenger with her friend, they hit a deer. The deer are plentiful and the hazard of hitting one along the deserted two-lanes is hard to avoid up here in the Northland.
They stopped, my daughter put the head of the dying animal in her lap and held it until it expired. I measured this act as one of the most significant things that has happened to her, her friend, myself and anyone who hears the story.
Good to stop by and see you. It's been a while, I know, but it just took time to get back. Hope all is good with you and all you hold dear.
Celebrating Los Dios de los Muertos Saturday night at our place, stop by if you're in the neighborhood.
Peace to All.
Babs...
Thank you for knowing, for sharing, for being who you are. This morning I'll go back, trace my footsteps,
and if he's gone I'll imagine that he was gifted with magical strength and flew away to live another day in the wind,
and if he's there...
I'll bring him home.
To rest in peace....
Spado...
It doesn't surprise me at all that a child of yours talks to animals. What a painfully beautiful story.... I imagine that the animals talk to her, also....
Bless your world, and all who are touched by it! Yes, I've missed you.
Peace~love my friends...
On wings...
she's back! weaving her words into a quilt of common steps and uncommon observations. yay!
To know whether to stay or go is a hard choice. Your compassion always touches me. Peace.
singtome.. just this morning, paused and noticed, but did not do anything to help a moth (or butterfly?) struggling to leave the sidewalk
and reading this now, i re-realize i missed an opportunity -and i won't the next time
to your beautiful soul!
love/peace, ~s.
We must be heart sisters, for sure. I did that for a dragonfly, once, too... only, I did scoop mine up and took him inside my office, from the harsh, hot parking lot, and placed him on the leaf of one of my plants. His little wings were fluttering and vibrating, too. He died there, on that plant, but he didn't die alone. I'm constantly rescuing little critters that get caught up in the breeze and wind up on the boat... I don't throw them in the water for fish bait, as suggested, I place them on the leaves of bushes, once I'm off the boat :)
Peace & Love, Sister!
KJ....
It was the most common step,
the path,
the "I'm not even watchin' where I'm goin'" next step
that almost landed me right on top of him....
the biggest,
and probably the bravest,
of all dragonflies ever....
there in an empty concrete corrider....
And me,
the stranger beside him....
Uggggghhhhh....
I brought him home tonight....
karma...
ah, we know each other well....
always....
to go or stay....
Peace, little one, whatever we do....
She....Because our worlds are somehow intertwined, winged ones falling before our very eyes....
And so this morning I went back and searched for him,
because I knew....
And there he was,
almost made it to where I would have laid him...
the soft red mulch with the silly lillies still blooming....
almost made it.....
Shimmerings...
See that's what bothered me the most....I left him there...
Not because I was in a rush to go,
but because he fussed at me in is pain,
or his pride....
And somehow I knew I should have been big enough to maybe just sit in the shadows
and wait with him....
Tonight, I brought him home....
Peace~love my friends
Be it!
Awww....but you know sister, we scoop those up that are meant to be scooped (think Georgia, Striper, Smokie, Ander, Vilulah...the list goes on and is not limited, as you know, to simply dogs... shuddering, shivering, shaking and in a case or two....frozen with fear, pain or want)
ILYSVFM
very moving-- a similar incident in a way I gave a way a kitten I loved so gentle and true to me because I have so many and somewhere in the strange moments of the day , I fear for him and me ....sandy
PERSICHETTI SAYS...
You reminded me of a time when Daniel was about 2 and we were sitting in the pool. I saw a beatle struggling to swim near the steps where we were sitting. Daniel watched as I rescued this bug over and over only to see that each time I did, it would walk to edge and fall back in. Finally I got the little thing to stay clear of the edge, when out of nowhere a lizard gulped it up in its mouth and ran off! I suppose some things are just meant to be. That has not stopped me from saving all of the bugs in the pool though:)
skinny love...
I fetched him home....
And last night
took him to "Gimme Peace"....
where he rests now with
sand dollars and
umbrella shells....
in a place called peace....
IMYSVVFM and LYSVVFM
if I could have a wish.......
Sweet Sandy....
Sometimes
we have to trust enough to let go...
to make the circle wider...
Oh, how many four legged angels have come here
to heal....
and somehow grown butterfly wings..
to be free again!
Much love sweet girl!
Persichetti...
God, I love you! And I so very very much can just picture this whole scene taking place. And Daniels little pixie eyes! You tried...
and you'll never tire of trying!
Muah!
My Sweet friend, I have missed you!
In the end there is balance in the universe. This morning I released the only Monarch butterfly I was able to save from the birds this year. It came to me as a cold, lifeless smallish catterpillar, and we took it into the warmth of our home, it spun a small- perfect chrysalis and yesterday hatched.
We let it go today as it was too windy yesterday. She hovered on my fingers, loathe to let go of safety, I left her in the flower pot and when I went out to see if she had taken wing- she was gone.
A brief miracle in my hand.
Clinks to you~
Rachelle
(smilin')
I knew you would,,,
Rachelle....I read this yesterday in a whirlwind....and took it with me....
everywhere I went....
and then last night,
under barlights,
in a circle of friends...
I shared this story....
And I saw your butterfly....
In the hearts and smiles of the strangers that were listening....
Peace~love
So very very wonderful to know you...
Babs....
I know you know you knew! :) Much love, sweet girl!
Whoa, good stuff.
Beloved,
On this eve of change
I pray
that the world
will listen
to your teachings
That we will
find all the broken
dragonflies
on the sidewalk
And kneel down
with them
till we learn
the secret
of our silent
unity,
Soft love to you,
Maithri
suchacoolcat.....
We never know when we'll be touched....This little fella did it for me...
Silly, I know, but perhaps...
Life changing.
Thank you for stopping by, I've been caught on the Himalaya Ride...
going round and round and round...
Peace~love
Maithri...
On this night,
the Changling Eve...
I headed for the fridge in
muck~a~luck feet,
hippie slippers half way up my calves,
peeping in to score a beer...
and stopped...
Reached up and touched the words...
Woza Moya...
Tomorrow my friend....
Bring Change....
And
Peace...
and
Love...
Clink! And Tink! - Woza Moya... The title of the post I'm in the middle of writing... Ahh the world is one...
Off to see a friend in a hospital, and will be back to read your latest offering here.
Love and the chalice of hope
overflowing, M
Maithri....
Much love my friend, on wings...
My time on this machine is so limited anymore,
the pitter patter of little feet here now,
but I thought of you late night Tuesday and if I could I would have called you...
Woza Moya....
The change is here!
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