The First in a Series Entitled: Things I write while I am "lifeguarding"

Fireflies

they arent as different as you think

they love their children

they work hard

they laugh until they are writhing on the floor

they cry tears of sadness and tears of joy

but they ARE that different

they were born in a different world

some 2 worlds away where silvers spoons are not a plenty

they are born in your world, where they are

they are everywhere

they dont need you but you need them

you hold them down

they lift you up

you are the useless decoration sitting on their strong foundation

you wear drive and eat the fruits of their labor

you refuse to acknowledge their existence

their humanity falls prey to your deaf ears

as they work for the families, you work their families

you keep their fathers and mothers away from home to satiate your greed

but is it unsatiable, never-ending and will grow til you've consumed them all

the simple beauty of their complex lives stands out will shines brightly until you have put it out

and you will

you will use them to bring about your own end

and youll wonder how it happened

but you will know

each time you have walked past them

and told yourself some seemingly small white lie to make your day guilt free

you knew

and one day these selfish inhuman moments will come together inside you

they will explode into waves made of years of lost empathy

the ripples of your greed will flow through your body

you will become visibly sick, they will see the mistake of your parasitic life

and they will know your humanity has come too late to shine,

you are dark

and they will be fireflies

lighting up the darkness

till all the light goes out