“Experts Fear Dwindling of Fireflies”--AP, August 30 2008
. . . is dousing fireflies’ lights,
global warming experts warn.
When glowworms no longer glow,
When lightening bugs no longer light,
Soon to follow will be backyard romps
Without ropes and rubber tire swings
Ice cream not hand-cranked,
Kool-Aid pre-made in a kit,
Lemonade in a pill
Canned laughter
Fake tears, fake turf to mow,
Wind-up birds, rubber snakes.
On a ranch in Texas,
Mechanical bulls.
Earl J. Wilcox writes about aging, baseball, literary icons, politics, and southern culture. His work appears in more than two dozen journals; he has contributed 39 poems to the New Verse News.
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