Dragonfly

Ever transforming

stronger than you first perceive

I am ‘dragonfly’

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What is it about the dragonfly

that attracts me…

As a children we were told

they were “darning needles”

would “sew your mouth shut”

…we ran in fear of them.

Yet over time I have come to appreciate

how they morph to “become”

what they are meant to be—

Throughout my life

I have adapted and transformed:

transparent, translucent

I wear my heart on the outside.

I may appear stationary,

but am always moving,

discovering, growing;

like the dragonfly,

becoming who

I am meant

to be.

©  Ginny Brannan 2016

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As a seasonal symbol in Japan, the dragonfly is associated with autumn. More generally, dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness, and they often appear in art and literature, especially Haiku. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

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I like to believe that my “spirit” animal is a dragonfly. I am definitely drawn to these creatures. The dragonfly, with protruding eyes and exoskeleton, is not nearly as pretty as his butterfly cousin, though in their lifetime both metamorphose, adapting, becoming something else.  I’ve learned that even youth, the dragonfly nymph faces adversity, and must learn to swim the currents to survive. Their delicate, translucent wings disguise their real strength. In this stage of my life, more autumn than summer, I too have changed— writing poetry, finding my voice, and in the past year have discovered a courage and inner-strength strength I did not know I possessed…yes, I am drawn to dragonflies…