Dragonfly

Dragonfly - picture taken in our garden by Pam

emphasising the delicacy of the wings.

Dragonfly.

What exquisite aerobatics

are being performed above our garden bench?

Gossamer wings,

scarce look able to propel the body

as it turns in an instant;

now, seemingly retracing a flight path,

seeking miniscule prey, 

or maybe a partner 

with whom to procreate.

By this will be sustained

the presence of dragonflies

in this location

with a history

that massively pre-dates

our arrival as owners –

or is it borrowers-

of this small square of territory.

So today, once again, it welcomes

this season’s visitors

having known their

great, great, great, great grandparents

and even more ancient

short-lived generations.

And in this brief watching,

there is blessing,

that we pray will survive

the shifting seasons

of this fragile earth.

The presence of 3 dragonflies in our garden at the beginning of September prompted this poem and also reminded me that in the nine years I worked at Ridley Hall, Cambridge there were two or three days each year when the South-west corner of the quadrangle was filled with maybe a hundred or so of these elegant creatures: beautiful.

Both our garden and Ridley Hall are some 300/500 metres from water.