this morning’s surviving moth
Moth Water Coffee
Reality’s got a splendid sense of humor.
Yesterday heating pre-dawn water
to make cowboy pan coffee
a broad beige moth flew into the gas flame
despite my warning.
This dark morning heating coffee water
a thin black moth drops in and drowns.
Not wanting moth dust and body part coffee
I dump it and start over.
It’s a Robert Frost joke.
How will the moth die?
Some say fire
some say water
both suffice.
Then a second black moth
flies into the flame
as a second beige moth
hangs on the wall and watches.
– Smith, 8.4.2016
With gratitude to Reality and Robert Frost.
Fire and Ice by Robert Frost, 1920
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
– Robert Frost
And yesterday’s moth coffee poem.
Moth Flame Coffee
Turning on the gas
to heat pre-dawn pan coffee
a small beige moth
frantically darts about the stove.
Just as I warn
“Be careful little girl
you’re heading for the heat”
she flies into the flame
adding fuel to fire.
Coffee tastes the same.
– Smith, 8.3.2016
mothflame