Requiem
Carolina sphinx moths
Grant them rest eternal Grant them rest eternal
Maple moths
Let light undying Let light undying
shine upon them. shine upon them.
Praying mantises
green darners
rest eternal rest eternal
Black-winged damselflies
brown darners
light undying light undying.
Grasshoppers Grasshoppers
great crested
spur-throated
three-banded
Katydids Katydids
round-headed
northern
gladiator
Cave crickets
mole crickets Cave crickets
tree crickets mole crickets
field crickets tree crickets
Grant them
rest eternal rest eternal
Give them
light undying. light undying.
This past night
we had the fall’s first
killing frost.
Paul Fleischmam
From A Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices
Grant them rest eternal Grant them rest eternal
Maple moths
Let light undying Let light undying
shine upon them. shine upon them.
Praying mantises
green darners
rest eternal rest eternal
Black-winged damselflies
brown darners
light undying light undying.
Grasshoppers Grasshoppers
great crested
spur-throated
three-banded
Katydids Katydids
round-headed
northern
gladiator
Cave crickets
mole crickets Cave crickets
tree crickets mole crickets
field crickets tree crickets
Grant them
rest eternal rest eternal
Give them
light undying. light undying.
This past night
we had the fall’s first
killing frost.
Paul Fleischmam
From A Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices