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A Mayfly's Life

 Sometimes I bring back a fox or two from the River
to keep me company while I plane strips and let them
flutter around me. Stenonema Vicarium are muscular
enough that you can tie a strand of 8/0 silk to one of 
their legs and fly them around the room like little kites
They seem to like to land on my bamboo shavings
and are curious and somewhat more
athletic than other mayfly's.
~Clint Bova


 A Mayfly's Life 
by Mary Ann Hoberman ~Named Children's Poet Laureate

Think how fast a year flies by
A month flies by
A week flies by
Think how fast a day flies by
A Mayfly’s life lasts but a day
A single day
To live and die
A single day
How fast it goes
The day
The Mayfly
Both of those.
A Mayfly flies a single day
The daylight dies and darkness grows
A single day
How fast it flies
A Mayfly’s life
How fast it goes.

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