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A Minibeast Dragon Fly
By Katanga
13 May 2008

This is for you, Josie, and for any of you who have read her brilliant children's poems.

I guess I'm aesthetically in awe of the beast below, so I haven't tried to make it too 'funny'.

Challenge! To write a poem in real celebbration of a truly horrible minibeast - a virus, a germ, an infected microbe - whatever!

Maybe a futile idea, but why not?

My stuff so far in the children's section has all been rather 'quaint' - but then aren't we all to some extent? Ho!

I owe this to Josie, whose help has been invaluable to me in eradicating (at least partially!) gross clumsinesses of phrase and meter.

Hope it works reasonably okay?

Quite a relief to write this after a few rude limericks on the adult side!

Cheers!

John X



Bejewelled Wings

See our bejewelled Dragon Fly
She wears emeralds on her wings
As beautiful when you're up close
As any bird that sings!

Three hundred million years ago
She woke up on this Earth -
That's long before the Dinosaurs
And our Brontosaurus' birth!

She flies at thirty miles an hour
And lives to seven years old
But has only two months' flying time 
Before all her tales are told.

The Insect Queen has six short legs -
Our cat has only four.
Cleaning shoes for all those feet?
Goodness! What a chore!

Be very kind to my Dragon Fly
She's sensitive - you know?
She's delicate beyond compare
And shuns the rain and snow.

Reviews

Written by mia_ms_kim (1019 comments posted) 12th May 2008
Loved this one, too. Very informative and enjoyable. I didn't get "But has only two hours flying time / Before all her tales are told." Can dragon fly only fly 2hrs at a time or in her lifetime? The second line seems to imply the latter. Very fun. 
Mia 8)
Ah, Yes, Mia!
Written by Katanga (1229 comments posted) 12th May 2008
Extraordinarily, apparently so! 
 
The adult Dragon Fly, despite having a life expectancy of around seven years, can only fly for about two months in total, before she dies (when all her tales are told). 
 
Anyway, that is according to a brief Googling! 
 
Sniff - kind of sad, eh? 
 
Off to bed for me - it's nearly 1.30 a.m. 
 
Cheers! 
 
John X

Written by mia_ms_kim (1019 comments posted) 12th May 2008
2 MONTHS of flying time, John? I thought the poem said 2 HOURS??? 
Mia :?
Whoops!
Written by Katanga (1229 comments posted) 12th May 2008
Ah, Mia! 
 
The hour is getting late - I'll have to go back to Google tomorrow and check it out and probably amend the whole thing! 
 
Humble Pie for me I fear . . . 
 
Ho! 
 
Thanks for taking an interest and alerting me! 
 
I'll let you know the truth of the matter - oh dear! 
 
Ah yes - just checked! Two months is correct - please forgive me! I'm about to edit accordingly. What a rash fool am i! 
 
Ho! 
 
John X

Written by Josie (2785 comments posted) 13th May 2008
This is quite true Mia. You have to check out your facts really well in children's poems Katanga. If you don't, and you read to children, they will be the first one to point things out to you. They learn all these things you see. ha ha. I think your poem is really, really lovely, and they seem to be getting better and better. I think a lot of your fdorward movement in this area comes from the enjoyment that you, yourself, are getting from it. Isn't this much more fun than writing dull, meaningless poetry on the other side, that people have to sit and delve into and still don't understand? Also, you know that you are doing something useful for teachers and parents, and that children will get enjoyment from it. I find it so worthwhile. I'm glad you did the bluebottle poem. How we laughed. Wonderful.

Written by CharlieDee (8 comments posted) 6th June 2008
John, your poem has actually inspired me to do a little illustration for it :) I think it's informative in a very lovely way (I never knew dragon flies had 6 legs and such short flying time!), however the one thing I would say is that I feel the last four lines don't quite "round up" (conclude?) the poem.
Weak Ending!
Written by Katanga (1229 comments posted) 6th June 2008
Thank you Charlie! Gosh, an illustration? I'd love to see it! 
 
I agree about the ending - I could claim an attempt at 'bathos', but you've got me thinking . . .  
 
Cheers! 
 
John X

Written by CharlieDee (8 comments posted) 7th June 2008
Yes, it's still in its early stages... but quite an achievement for me after having had such a long dry spell! I'll show you on Monday.. haha ;)

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