Monday 22 August 2022

Mayfly Day


Rosemary of Where Five Valleys Meet had an interesting post last week about mayflies and their final "dance" before laying their eggs (click here to read).  David of Travels With Birds also wrote last week about how British mayflies are currently seriously threatened by water pollution and climate change (click here). These posts got me thinking!

One summer many years ago, I spent a day in Gimli, Manitoba, on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, during its annual mayfly (or as we call them here in Canada, fish fly) infestation. MILLIONS of them EVERYWHERE, on every roadway and surface. Not particularly pleasant but a true natural phenomenon.

Mayflies have a notoriously short life span (approximately 24 hours at most). But everything is relative, isn't it, as seen in this beautiful and wise poem which contains a lesson for us all --

MAYFLY DAY
by Jeanne Willis

Here is Mayfly.
It is her first day on earth.
It is also her last.

Mayflies only live for one day.
But is she sad? Not at all.
She is happy to be alive!

This isn't any old day.
This is the best of days.
She lives for each moment.

She sees the world begin.
She hears the crack of dawn.
And bathes in its golden glow.

A billion buds burst open.
All for her!
She tastes their honey.

Mayfly sees eggs hatch.
Babies born.
Lambs learning to stand.

The business of ants.
The dizziness of children . . .
The loveliness of things.

She feels the sun's warm hug.
The kiss of summer rain.
The magic of the rainbow.

It is her wedding day.
Trees throw confetti.
There are games on the lawn.

Breezes blow, bells chime.
Birds sing! She dances
to the music of the universe.

Mayfly lays her eggs.
It is a peaceful night.
The best of nights.

She makes one last wish:
"Little ones, may all your tomorrows
be as perfect as my yesterday!"

Mayfly watches the moon come up
and the stars go out.
And is thankful for her wonderful life.

30 comments:

Travel said...

I remember driving over a bridge on hatch day, through a swarm so thick you could barely see.

Mistress Maddie said...

That is a beautiful poem!!!!!!! And the message also here is to "Live LIVE! Life is a banquet...and some poor suckers are starving."

Some summers we are infested with them too...on everything....but after the poem I will now think differently of them.

Bob said...

Wistful little poem, eh?

I don't think I've ever actually seen a mayfly.

Moving with Mitchell said...

What a beautiful poem. And the whole idea of mayflies does get one thinking.

Busy Bee Suz said...

I honestly didn't know much about the Mayfly until reading the blog post you linked. WOW.
The poem is charming!

Anonymous said...

A beautiful reminder to adjust one's thinking. Enjoy the time you have because a trout might take it all away!
E

Sandy said...

I didn't know they only lived a day. Very interesting. But, I do remember once camping when they were so thick we couldn't sit at the picnic table to eat. The swarm was bad. Lovely poem. Thanks for the share.

Marie Smith said...

Mayfly has the right idea!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

"Lambs learning to stand." What a sweet poem filled with magical images.
Thanks for sharing this.

Guillaume said...

Bloody hate those things.

Adam said...

Millions? No thanks 🚘

bobbie said...

I love the poem ~ TFS!

roentare said...

Such a wonderful post. I now know a bit about Mayflies. Their life journeys are similar to cicadas that shines for the brief moment after lurking for so long.

Great post as usual before I rush to work again

Lady M said...

What a lovely poem - make the most of your time here on earth for it is finite.

Joanne Noragon said...

Everything has its day, and somethings only one.

Sixpence Notthewiser said...

Love the poem!
And I have never witnessed anything like that. I would freak out. The catholic boy in my would start thinking 'seven plagues'...

XOXO

Richard said...

A manifestation of mayflies. A swarm. A huge encounter.
A miracle of mayflies.

I heard that when there are that many, you can just scoop them
and parch toast them and cook them with the rice, polenta,millet, what have you. You can talk about them for years.

They only live in clean water, or at least clean enough.
I have never been infested by a mayfly, but they are a fearsome sight when they do this.

Mike said...

My wife's aunt and uncle lived along the Mississippi in northern Illinois. A few times when we up to visit it was mayfly time. You couldn't walk down the sidewalk without hearing crunch crunch crunch.

Rosemary said...

Thank you for the lovely poem and mention Debra - a Mayflies life is ephemeral.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Thanks for the interesting post and the link to my blog. Both are much appreciated.

Bill Lisleman said...

Here's my pedantic comment. The adult mayfly lives only a day (or two?) but the stage before adult, nymph, can live for years in the water.

Now if the insect has goals and a memory of the past (?), this very short flying in the sun and quick mating would be worse than retirement.

JM said...

Loving that poem!

Kirk said...

Here's hoping the lanternfly don't steal the mayfly's thunder. Nice poem.

DVArtist said...

Very nice post and poem. Have a great day today.

The Blog Fodder said...

What a wonderful poem. In the scheme of things our own lives are as ephemeral. We need to live them the same way.

Martha said...

What an awesome poem! The mayfly makes the best of the time that she has. A reminder to live in the moment and for each moment.

baili said...

Love you for sharing this exceptional post and exquisite poem dear Debra!

I feel what matters most is quality of life we live not quantity.

Moments are her days.
Days are my moments :)

Rommy said...

That is a really sweet poem!

yellowdoggranny said...

do we have those in Texas? but I love that poem.

Bracken Crafts- 100 garments said...

Love the poem!