The Firefly Fleet
A short poem about fireflies I wrote in college.
A flickering light,
a humble candle against the night sky,
travels in a pattern all its own, burning bright,
carried weightlessly on a soft breeze whispering by.
Like a tapestry of stars emerges thousands of blinking fireflies,
fiery embers rising from the tall grasses and cold ground.
Don't look away, don't avert your eyes,
don't let their brilliance slip into the dark, never to be found.
They are sailors on a moonlit sea,
their wings the sails, their buzzing a shanty of hope.
Not an armada, but a fleet, shining with glee,
tiny lanterns like lighthouses gracing each grassy slope.
Not every bug braves the open air,
content to drift along a rotting log or traverse the foliage of a tree,
there are some on patrol, some cautious, even scared,
darting in and out of the underbrush, guarded, but free.
Their wings could carry them for miles,
though most favor the comfort and quiet of a single lush meadow.
Sailing o'er the peaceful tree-line and brooks, there is laughter and smiles
as the fireflies chatter and flit about, nary a woe.
As certain as the fox is sly,
as sure as the snail is slow,
as undeniable as the deer is shy,
every creature, large or small, knows:
In the damp summer heat,
when dusk lasts forever,
shines the magnificent firefly fleet,
brighter than ever.
About the Creator
Madison "Maddy" Newton
I'm a Stony Brook University graduate and a communications coordinator for the NYS Assembly. Writing is one of my passions, and Vocal has been a great creative outlet for me.
Follow me on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/madleenewt120/
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Wild Card Weekend Recap: What Happens Now?
I think I figured out why I love Wild Card Weekend so much. It's because it's the first playoff anything of the calendar year. The NFL season starts in the fall, and once upon a time, the champion was crowned either on or slightly before New Year's. The evolution of the NFL schedule has resulted in the playoffs starting just into the New Year, and currently, the final week of the season falls on the first weekend of the New Year, with Wild Card Weekend coming a week after that. So yes, chronologically, the NFL's Wild Card Weekend serves as the first playoff anything of the calendar year.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 days ago in Unbalanced
Comments (21)
I love this piece! So beautiful and picturesque. Congrats on being a Top Story 😊
Very well Written
Great 👍
Handsome 🥰 story 🤩
nice story
I love this, Madison, and adore fireflies. I've always thought of them as magic in the nighttime sky. Congratulations on your top story!
Beautiful, this made me miss lightning bugs so much. It's interesting how everyone I've met since moving west, as well as people online, seem to call them fireflies, but I never heard anyone refer to them by that name growing up.
Ooohhh, love this, wow!! Beautifully written and loved the imagery
Beautiful story I enjoyed this .
This was absolutely enchanting—like watching summer breathe. You’ve given fireflies a whole mythology, gentle and glowing. It made me smile quietly.
Oh how I miss fireflies! I grew up with them in the southern USA yet landed in Scandinavia where we don't have them. They flutter about in my memories always. Such a sweet poem! Congratulations on you Top Story!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
You've been an amazing poet since college (likely even before that)! This is so beautiful! And congrats on Top Story, Maddy!!
Fireflies are simply magical and this poem has definitely captured that!
So beautiful! The fireflies are such a wonderful example of what nature can create.
this was so beautiful
This felt like a dream lit by tiny lights. Gentle, magical, and full of quiet wonder—your words drift like fireflies in the dark. 🐛
Whoaaaa, this was soooo mesmerising! Loved your poem!
Thought this was beautiful - loved the line about the shanty of hope. Just gorgeous.
A magnificent depiction and description of the lighted ones
I loved this, but I’m with Michael. Your last four lines are pure magic. Great job.