Baxter was born in a meadow
under a rotting plank
with hundreds of brothers and sisters
in a home both darkly and dank.

His momma was a June bug
and he was a June bug too,
schooled in all the sorts of things
that June bugs love to do.

The time had come for him to fly
and leave his happy home,
his momma went to the book case
and pulled out a well worn tome.

She read from a chapter called "Hazards"
to each of her children dear,
"Stay clear of birds when you’re flying
or you won't last out the year."

"And one more thing that you should know,
and this you must absorb,
beware of the light in the evening sky
that's called the purple orb."

So he left his home behind him,
went flying all around,
he saw some birds in the tree tops
and headed right for the ground.

After landing in the tall grass
he met a stink bug named Dwight
who told him wonderful stories
of an orb so purple and bright.

"Forget now what your mother said,
I'm here to set you straight,
the orb is just a doorway,
you know, it's like a gate."

"When you enter into its brightness
you're magically swept away
to a lovely world of happiness
where forever you can stay."

So Baxter started searching,
he looked both high and low
and if he found the purple orb
straight to it he would go.

But the light was very clever,
it kept its secret well,
poor Baxter kept on looking
as if he was under a spell.

Finally on an August eve
just as darkness was appearing
he spotted a distant purple glow
across a meadow's clearing.

"It must be the orb,” he said to himself,
so he flew with all his might
across the meadow with all due speed
towards that beautiful purple light.

Soon he hovered before it
and bathed in its eerie glow,
what wonders lay in store for him
his mind could scarcely know.

Gathering up his courage
into the purple light he sped,
crackle and zap was all he heard
as he fell to the ground near dead.

He lay in a growing pile
of other bugs who'd seen
a purple orb up in the sky,
but it wasn't what it seemed.

So if you meet a stink bug
who goes by the name of Dwight
don't believe the tales he tells
of a beautiful purple light.

Remember what Baxter's momma said,
"and this you must absorb,
beware of the light in the evening sky
that's called the purple orb."

John

I appreciate the wisdom in this one and hav really enjoyed the tale. However, risk must be taken, and there are many different purple orbs. to draw the red line means you have to find the one that requires that!! Thanks for the read, John

Hey John,

Good read. Up around here we call those purple lights Politicians.

Brucefur

John - Very entertaining! And a good warning that kids should listen to the wisdom of their parents, and not do what their friends do, just because their friends say so! This would make a fun comic strip!

Enjoyed,
Christy

P.S. That's the best title I've seen in a while!

If only Baxter would have listened to his mother. Sometimes kids just have to learn the hard way. I agree with the others that this is an enjoyable read, John. I've only known one Dwight in my life and I credit him with teaching me the art of starting IV's. He's an excellent nurse, but he could be a stinker too! Good poem.

Marty

good one !

John, this is a fantastic poem. I love the tale and the way you've constructed the piece. Thanks for sharing this one.

Les

Well done, Good enjoyable read.

John:

Add me to your list of admirers...excellent read.

JoeT

Brilliant, John,
I thoroughly enjoyed!

I think this would make a great
child's bedtime story.

Gwyd

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. (Aristotle)

K.Q.,
You are right, there are many purple orbs. Perhaps if Baxter had looked in the opposite direction he would have found the one he wanted. Thanks for reading.

Nice hearing from you Brucefur, it is always a pleasure. Politicians...lol.

Christy,
Thanks much...I kind of liked the title too.

Marty,
Most of the lessons that stuck with me over the years were the ones I learned the hard way. Just the way it is. Thanks.

Johnny,
Thank you for stopping by.

Les,
Thanks Les, your comments are always appreciated.

Debutant,
Glad you liked it, thanks for reading.

JoeT,
I appreciate your remarks, thanks Joe.

Gwydion,
Thanks, I'm thinking about combining the poem with a story and using it in the storytelling guild I belong to.

John

BUMP! Because we all need to read something entertaining once in awhile, and because John is one of the real good guys from way back when.

Joe

well dang, if only i had read this a couple of earlier, my life would have been different than it is today.

but seriously, we need this guy back in here. thanks for the bump, joe.

Good bump, Joe.


Les

Les per usual works his miracles!

I am bumping this one for my wife; she plays fairyland on facebook and I proposed that I should make an application that trapped the mice and zapped the fairies. Of course that reminded me of this excellent poem and I had to go searching for it, but couldn't find it because I was looking for an orb of a different hue.

Still love it. Fantastic yarn, John!

Brucefur (broo suh fer)

Of all the poets to grace these pages, John Summers is truly one of the finest. Here's a link to his anthology, works posted before July 2006.

[www.emule.com] />

Les

bump