“Keisha’s Lightning (Bugs)”

June 2, 2008

Keisha loved BUGS!
All kinds, even worms
(Even if Dad did say that all worms have germs).

She did not even care
That her friends thought them icky–
She loved hunting bugs,
Crawly, creepy, or sticky!

But her favorite bug
Came out only at night.
And hunting that bug, well,
It must be done right.

See first, Keisha’d say,
You find a big jar,
The jar must have a lid
Or you won’t get too far.

You put some small holes,
Maybe five, in the top,
Don’t put more than seven,
(Somewhere you must stop.)

Then, if you ate all your peas,
And dad said it was fine,
You’d go to the Backyard
to wait, for some time.

Then slowly, they’d come–
Lit up, like small lights
They come out all summer
On almost all nights.

They’d twinkle and dance
Turn off and on-
Keisha’d dance too,
Out there on the lawn.

If she wanted to catch one,
She’d quietly crouch
And then, when the light came,
Keisha would POUNCE!

She’d twirl and she’d swoop!
Scoop them up in the jar.
The bug would light up
Like her own little star.

She’d catch ten or twelve
And observe them all closely.
She gave them some grass
But they’d fly around, mostly.

Then she’d let them all go,
Start all over again
Scooping bugs, one by one,
Till she had again ten.

Sometimes she would lie down
To watch the bugs come and go
While behind them the stars
Would quietly glow.

She wished she could stay there
And watch them all night,
But a girl without bedtime,
Well, that wouldn’t be right.

So when Dad flickered the lights,
First off, and then on,
Keisha would go in,