Night falls, banishing landscape into darkness,

blindly hiding me from you and you from me.

Among the field of pines between the gold domes,

we must meet to make our way home in concert.

Though far apart, we share a thought of the gifts—

two cigarette lighters bestowed by our son.

I hold the lighter, its flame useless in wind,

and press a button— a sharp blue light darts forth.

As a blue flashing lightning bug— a firefly—

I walk, pressing and releasing the button.

Then, lo, I yonder see answering blue blinks.

Swiftly down the hill I run as you run up,

finding each other as flashing fireflies do.

We meet, we kiss, and tuck away the lighters,

their use successful, and wend our sweet way home.

Thanks, Jack— without your gifts, we might never find each other!

Two artificial blue fireflies in the night.

RM Gal; C 2009, All Rights Reserved