Dragonfly Migration
Recently I saw this pullout quote and was instantly captivated:
“We know that monarch butterflies make a complex annual migration, but the record for the longest insect migration (twice the distance of monarchs) is held by a dragonfly — the wandering glider.” - Joe Smith
After doing some research I was so delighted by what I learned, that I wrote a poem:
Dragon Fly Migration
Following the monsoon rains from one continent to the next,
you travel over open oceans, vast deserts and the forests dense with fog
Born of mystery, like some genetic inheritance,
your migration takes multiple generations to complete
and like a grandmother setting off towards a land she will not reach herself,
the mother as the bridge, and the granddaughter as the recipient
of this long sought gift, you have evolved for distance and stamina
Insects and humans share this same secret heart,
with these longings for distant places,
what we ‘re willing to do to get there,
and to offer and sacrifice for our children
and also like birds,
who migrate with intention,
setting out in the fall
when the world’s winds are favorable
you fly over and past the great curve of the horizon,
that can only be seen from above
We think we know so much about our world as humans,
and think ourselves the center of the Universe
yet we know so little about your journeys
It’s reassuring actually,
to know that we still know so little
about this planet that we all share,
that there are mysteries out there still,
and always will be
To paraphrase G.K. Chesterton,
“The world will never lack for wonders, only wonder.”
We are alive in a living word,
and these insect jewels flying far,
with or without our knowledge of them,
are a reminder to keep our senses open
and to remain curious
and to peer over the edge
into the unknown
Here are a few things for further learning…
This is the original article I read with the pullout quote: https://goo.gl/uuoJZg
This is a great little book about migrating insects: https://goo.gl/ePBvuJ
And this is a Ted Talk about the subject:
Do you have a story or fun fact about something mysterious or incredible that you’ve see in real life, or in your internet life (ha)?! Do you have a favorite insect or story of a bug? Send them to me! Leave a message in the comment section below, or send photos to me at wes@livethecuriouslife.com
