Firefly

UPDATE: This image is featured on Public Radio International's "Living on Earth" site.

****************

I was five
and we caught fireflies
in a jar beneath a starry sky
in the valley one night

Dad's friend looked up at one
and said that if it ever fell
there would be light
for eight straight days

That's a lot to think about
when you're five
with just grownups outside
and toes in the wet grass
at night

Later that night
I think of that star
my fireflies now growing dim
in their jar

A train passes by
the rumble echoes across the yard
and into my room.

-- 1994

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Comments

Whiffleboy says:

I miss the fireflies. I used to collect jars of them over the summer months.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Saintbridge says:

Welcome back, bro! It's past my bedtime here. Will look for your record of adventures tomorrow!
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Grateful Clem says:

great capture!

--
Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

A girl and her dog says:

Awesome!
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

CUTiger says:

Awesome capture!
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

decembre71 says:

This is INCREDIBLE.
Instant fave.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Saintbridge says:

Thanks for the faves, everybody! I wrote this at a low point in my life and have been tinkering with the wording ever since '94, but this is largely how I put it down the first time.

Much, much appreciated.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

capn madd matt says:

great image and your poetic memory is quite powerful...thanks for sharing this.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

pictureperfectenvy says:

You have fireflies already :).... I miss those little buggers. Nice shot.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

hellie_l says:

beautiful scott! beautiful....... I can't believe what a great capture this is! And the poem. It's all quite breathtaking.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Ana-Lin says:

This is a really cool picture! KUDOS Scott!
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

kronoskid says:

Cool!
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

TXAlleKat says:

I love firefly's and miss them!!!
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Ces White says:

Fireflies? I thought they were mythical creatures from cartoons. ;P I kid. We don't have those buggers here in SoCal so I don't think I've ever seen one in real life. Sad. I know.

This is one amazing shot though! :)
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Slightlydramatic [deleted] says:

An Awesome Shot Award
You are invited to add this image to An Awesome Shot!
~CONTESTS~ Enter/Vote now
Please tag the photo with "AnAwesomeShot"
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Donna Francé says:

Ciao, sono amministratore di un gruppo chiamato Two Feet Under. Ci farebbe piacere aggiungere le tuo foto al gruppo.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

serge s. says:

Awesome. Strangely I've never seen a firefly in person yet.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

plant.nerd says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Bioluminescence, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

ultraBobban says:

nice symbiotic relationship between insect and bioluminescent bacteria!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

d_wooden says:

a little fuzzy but a phenomenal catch
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

The Memory Keeper says:

Best firefly image I've found all night...Great clarity!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Saintbridge says:

Thank you again to all those who continue to visit, fave and/or request permission to use this image. I am honored.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Digital Agent says:

excellent Scott, I had not recalled this when sifting through your stream...
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Suviko says:

Congrats for exposure. :) And I for one dig Finnish public broadcasting company Yleisradio aka YLE and appreciate you for letting public media use the pic. :)
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

pamatha says:

It is we who should thank you!
Your eye is is a magnet for the world's magic.
Thanks for sharing with us.

Sis
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Digital Agent says:

----------------

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
invited with SIC 1.0
----------------
Your work has inspired me!!
You are INVITED to post it in...

The Nature Group</a
invited with SIC 1.0
----------------
NaturesFinest
Please add this great photo to Nature�s Finest
Tag your photo with "NaturesFinest"
invited with SIC 1.0
----------------
This is Perfect!

Perfect Photographer Invitation

This photo has been selected for The Perfect Photographer Award
Please add this image to The Perfect Photographer, Awards 2 Fave 2
And tag the photo with "The Perfect Photographer"
invited with SIC 1.0
----------------
This photo has been selected for
Golden Photographer Award

Add this one to http://www.flickr.com/groups/goldenphotograph er/
( Invite Only and +10Faves).
invited with SIC 1.0
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

russellsworth says:

Beautiful and very inspiring! I have to go out and crawl around in the grass now looking for some fireflies. I'll probably just get mosquito bites.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Tracy*s Pix says:

so cooool, i have only seen one in my life and i was 5 (a long time ago) great picture.
NaturesFinest
This is really one of Natures Finest!!>
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

precious maybe says:

fantastic
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

NowPublic says:

Thank you for sharing your photo!This photograph appears in a NowPublic news story:Fireflies in decline as natural habitats are destroyed.
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

DreamersRealm says:

Oh, no way! How fabulous! What a perfect capture of the perfect moment! I love fireflies - it wouldn't be summer without them, but I have been rather unsuccessful catching them on film
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

mojeecat says:

Cool. They don't have fireflies in Florida. I'll never forget the first time my teenager ever saw one, while on vacation in West Virginia. It kind of freaked him out a little. lol
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

dhonkanbulo photos says:

i have never seen a firefly that close
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Sea Moon says:

Fireflies are one of those things that makes you realize early on how great life is...and you can't keep them in a jar and have them keep their magic alive, a lesson for later things in life...
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Saintbridge says:

Indeed, indeed. :)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Geomar Triño The Great says:

wow excellent!
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

jena ardell says:

What an adorable little lightning bug!!
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

horizontal.integration says:

perfect

--
Found in a search. (?)
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken with a Canon PowerShot SD450.
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Taken on June 12, 2007

54 people call this photo a favorite

Viewed 5,204 times

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Firefly

Comments

Whiffleboy says:

Saintbridge says:

Grateful Clem says:

A girl and her dog says:

CUTiger says:

decembre71 says:

Saintbridge says:

capn madd matt says:

pictureperfectenvy says:

hellie_l says:

Ana-Lin says:

kronoskid says:

TXAlleKat says:

Ces White says:

Slightlydramatic [deleted] says:

Donna Francé says:

serge s. says:

plant.nerd says:

ultraBobban says:

d_wooden says:

The Memory Keeper says:

Saintbridge says:

Digital Agent says:

Suviko says:

pamatha says:

Digital Agent says:

russellsworth says:

Tracy*s Pix says:

precious maybe says:

NowPublic says:

DreamersRealm says:

mojeecat says:

dhonkanbulo photos says:

Sea Moon says:

Saintbridge says:

Geomar Triño The Great says:

jena ardell says:

horizontal.integration says:

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