Firefly

Once I chased a firefly
Around my island sands
I took a jar but in the end
Held nothing in my hands.

I never caught the firefly
I never had the knack
Imagination captured me
I never captured back.

I put my arms around my knees
Towards the foliage sea
And watched those little lighthouses
All signalling back to me.

Next I chased a champagne bubble
Across the crystal sky
But had to pause to be content
To count those stars go by.

Millions and trillions
Exquisite little shapes
Fell about my island lands
Like tropical snowflakes.

A place of petals and of thorns
A place of black and white
A place of bitter Russian snows
And fragrant summer nights.

And all of this was all of mine
A land of half and whole
Amazing, in the dark was found
A luminescent soul.

For all who've chased a firefly
Across the firmament
Theirs already is the world
Of wide-eyed wonderment.