I'd never seen another quite like you -
beautiful unfamiliar creature
in your sixlegged frenzied grasstop crawl,
sunshards reflecting ephemeral prisms
from the back of your glorious
chitinous wingmarvels
painted wild iridescent blues, greens, violets;
In my wondercaught crouch before you
I rest my hand upon the ground
so that you may crawl across me
and I can feel your tickling motion,
bringing me closer to an alien delight
and the curious gentle pleasure
of meeting something new
and enriching.

My neighbour steps outside a moment,
notices us.
Since I do not know your name,
I ask if
perhaps
he does.

"It's a native wasp," he tells me,

and in that reflexive, cruel instant,
with a flick and a twitch
and a fearsharpened deliberate motion
fuelled by memory of past pains,
i crush you

before you can hurt me.

---

Oh, but I did not forget you -
you were so very beautiful -
and later


too much later


I learnt that the wonderful Blue Flower Wasp
does not sting.

---