In the spring of 2017,
brood VI of the species
magicada septimdecim
will tunnel up through
the Carolina earth
where they have dwelt
since the first spring
of this new century.
to swarm sapling beeches
and tender oaks
to suck the sap they seek.
attracted and confused
by the growl and roar,
they'll blanket power tools
and smother lawn mowers,
fall as husks
on the unlucky guests
of may and june
outdoor weddings.
before they die though
they will sing an anthem,
the 17-year cicada song
a billion voices strong,
that some have said
sounds like a chorus crying:
pharaoh, pharaoh
greetings for
the locust king.
No comments:
Post a Comment