Every year around this time witnesses the return of
the cicada killer wasps: their sole purpose in life is
to fight, even to die, in the war against cicada.
They land their bodies on my hot pavers, the straight-away
between the porches is a landing field for sassy doughboys,
chewing gum, sun in their eyes, alive another day.
I get out the hose and assist them in training, parrying
with sprinkler and jet and soaker settings, preparing them for
aerial bug-fight, cicadas are fierce opponents
with an innate understanding of prime numbers.
I had a huge party this weekend and I gathered the cicada killer wasps
around and I told them it was the front of the house for the rest of the day
and they listened. That night while packing up the tent and the chairs
they came back and settled into their usual spot. The leader,
oddly one of the youngest, came over and said, “You miss everybody,
i can tell,” hovered a moment and then flew off to the shade of the boxwoods.
© Chagall ∞
Another poem to love.
Gaia’s creatures will listen to our requests if we’re respectful. I had an agreement with the spiders in our old house. They could have the downstairs and the garage but please avoid the upstairs. After our “discussion” they agreed and no longer startled the heck out of me upstairs.
Absolutely. Although, Annie Dillard has a great piece about fecundity in bugs and wildlife, and the proportions at which it gets beyond the discussion phase. 🙂 But for the most part, day to day, yes indeed one can communicate with bugs. I have a very special affinity for dragon and damsel flies. —CC
That is true about sometimes having to give up on the discussions. We had an ant problem recently…. Would agree about dragon flies. Also ladybugs, bees, butterflies, and beetles. And spiders.
Been a long time since I read Annie Dillard, thanks for reminding me of her. Will have to dig out her book.
https://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/73nov/dillard.htm
Enjoyed the article, thanks Carlos. I agree with her about the preferable fecundity of plants! A whole ‘nother favorite topic…. 🌱🌿🌱☘️🌱
Glad you did. An interesting piece regarding sentient things and how we feel about one another. 🙂 I love to grow stuff. I am forever in awe of the sprouting seed – year after year.
Me too, with the sprouting seed. And the growth and development that follows, and the flowering, and finally producing more seeds. Such elegance! I talk to my plants and feel their auras….
I am mentor to sprawling cuke and pumpkin vines;a jokester, I always train them along the most circuitous route
No one says we can’t be playful with our plants. 😊