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At My Niece’s Graduation Party

Twilight settling
moist at the edges
as offspring of all ages
joyous together and unhesitant
even though they are
of scattering connections and just met
seamlessly undulate, interact, as in a dance
on the green grass near the open field
chasing blinking fireflies
whose bioluminescent beacons
are coyly encouraging this serendipitous,
unplanned aspect of the festivity;
they are easy to catch, exclaim about, and then let go
while the adults talk and delightedly watch
on folding chairs under the colorful backyard tent
stuffed with vegetable lasagna and brisket
musing about flitting transitions,
toddlers to children turned teens
how brightly they glow
and how ephemeral
but somehow eternal
this fleeting moment is
of restful lazy early summer
before they all fly off
in separate directions
to court their own radiant
but flashing futures.

Polly Castor
6/20/15

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