The fly –

against a window pane,

buzzed and buzzed.

The ‘force field’ of the glass

trapped it, puzzled it.

How to escape? How to live?

There was a shadow.

The shadow was dangerous.

Panic!

 

I had been drawn to the window

by the buzzing of the fly.

It was only a small fly,

hardly worth the effort

of deploying the Zapper!

I watched the tiny fly.

It was terrified

but continued to

try to escape.

It didn’t have a chance.

 

What is a fly’s life worth?

To me very little

but it was alive and

trying to escape.

How amazing a creature!

How aware of its being.

How beautifully made,

How incredible a life form!

 

Look at the wings.

No, no, look at a leg.

No look at a joint,

could I make one?

No, I could not do even that,

let alone animate it.

 

Instead, I freed it to the garden.

 
 
David Garlick, Sidney, July,  2009