Friday, July 06, 2012

Poetry Friday: Glow-Worms



The Mower to the Glow-Worms
by Andrew Marvell

Ye living lamps, by whose dear light
The nightingale does sit so late,
And studying all the summer night,
Her matchless songs does meditate;

Ye country comets, that portend
No war nor prince’s funeral,
Shining unto no higher end
Than to presage the grass’s fall;

Ye glow-worms, whose officious flame
To wand’ring mowers shows the way,
That in the night have lost their aim,
And after foolish fires do stray;

Your courteous lights in vain you waste,
Since Juliana here is come,
For she my mind hath so displac’d
That I shall never find my home.

I love this sleepy summer poem, and the "country comets" that feel no need for a high purpose: it's enough for them to shine while they can, since summer will soon be over. The mower isn't paying any attention anyway; Juliana has "displac'd" his brain and he's wandering literally and metaphorically.

It's going to be a hot day where I am, even hotter than in Haiti. Maybe it will cool off enough this evening to chase some glow-worms.

Here's today's roundup.

Photo Credit: www.firefly.org

7 comments:

Linda B said...

I had to look up glowworms to see all about them, Ruth. What a photo, and the poem is lovely, talking of them having their small task, done without fanfare. It is a lovely poem.

Tara @ A Teaching Life said...

That is a mesmerizing photograph, and I did not even know that glow worms existed!

Mary Lee said...

Fireflies are one of the best things about living in Ohio! Ah, "Ye country comets" indeed! (GREAT photo pick!)

Janet said...

"Out, out brief candle! Bird thou never wert!" :-)

I'm going down memory lane partly because I found a descriptive essay I wrote about you for creative writing. Must have been our junior year. Did you really keep your clock on military time? This was one of many details I had forgotten. But it seems poem-worthy, hint hint...

Ruth said...

Wow, Janet, I'd love to read that essay! I don't remember keeping my clock on military time. :-)

Donna Smith said...

No glow worms by us; just fireflies!

Jessica Stock said...

I do not know that I have ever heard of glow worms! Hope you are having a nice summer, Ruth!