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the dragonfly and I

one crisp autumn afternoon
I came upon a dragonfly
a-sunning himself in the path
that I was walking by

shiny and bright red he was
like a brand new sports car
only much more advanced
just an inch and a half so far

and actually he was more like
a miniature helicopter
as he could take off upwards
or even backwards if he ought'er

he didn't seem to mind me there
if I didn't block his sun
and he looped up every now and then
I think just having fun

he moved his cranium about
--a monstrous bulby head
with feelers and compound eyes
like creatures dreamed in bed

my own head's shadow lay nearby
the angle and wind-blown hair
making it look rather odd itself
but the dragonfly didn't care

I wondered if he'd prefer
that I had a big bug skull
then realized any head would do
whose shadow on his di'n't fall

but though I edged carefully past
my shadow flicked over him
and he flew up right away
to light beyond its furthest rim

it must be a nice thing
to be in the best place you know
and able to move to another
just whenever you want to go

and better if like the dragonfly
turnabout's not your curse
as to get somewhere behind yourself
you just zip there in reverse
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