On catching dragonflies

Catching dragonflies
I did as a child,
trapping what I called “tail” between my fingers
(It’s actually the abdomen, I learned later.)
and watching it struggle, bending in every way
like an acrobat, frantically fluttering like a bat,
'til its tail nearly withered like a sampaguita bud
and eventually glued to my skin like mud.

So I'd usually let go,
praying I hope I didn't really
hurt it so bad.
Jamison/08/18/07