Join the Poetry Friday Round-up at Life on the Deckle Edge with Robyn Hood Black.
Due to Robyn’s shoulder injury (Get well quick, Robyn.), Irene Latham has taken on the roundup today at Live your Poem.
“Cicada molting animated-2” by T. Nathan Mundhenk – Edited version of File:Cicada molting animated.gif. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
Taken by T. Nathan Mundhenk, in Centerville, Ohio USA July 30 2007. Each frame taken at 1 minute intervals. 30 minute gap in middle while cicada rested. The Cicada takes about 2 hours to complete the process.
This week was my first week back with my students. We read about bioluminescence of fireflies on Wonderopolis. This got me thinking about another insect, one that is loud at this time of year, the cicada. We read together two poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology of Science, Cicada Magic by Heidi Mordhorst and Cicada by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. We discussed the literary elements of imagery, rhyme, and personification. Then we wrote our own Cicada poems. Mine came out as an ode. One student’s response, “You’ve gotta love an ode!”
Ode to the Cicada
Your buzzy song rises
with the temperature.
Heat fans your wings
that saw the air
with sound.
You shed your exoskeleton
like a chrysalis
emerging larger and uglier
leaving behind a prize,
an ornament hanging on a tree,
a bronze clasp pen for my lapel.
Oh, cicada,
the memory of happy summer days
waiting, wondering,
whispering in wind’s ear
your creaky violin.
–Margaret Simon, all rigths reserved
This video is a quick look at the clouds outside with cicadas singing.
Reflections on the Teche 
Our cicadas must still be resting, Margaret. I love the thought in your poem that the cicadas help us remember those wonderful summer days. Thanks for reminding us they’re almost here!
Very nice poem, Margaret. We have lots of cicadas here which seems exotic because we only used to here them while holidaying in Spain.
Oh yes, that familiar summer sound — wonderful ode and amazing molting animation!
That molting video looks like something straight out of one of the Alien movies! Hard to watch, though I do love their summer song. Especially love the lines in your poem “a bronze clasp pen for my lapel” and “whispering in wind’s ear/your creaky violin.”
Wow! Great footage of the morphing…we were just in PA and they are so, so, so loud! We don’t really have them in Maine…I guess we must, but not like anywhere else. Actually we have what we call “heat bugs” that are a cicada that seem to be a loner and only make an occasional sound on a day that is going to be really hot. I guess that’s why we don’t have the whole serenade going on…not too hot here usually.
I love your poem! The molting video you included is so very interesting. This past week I found 3 cicada exoskeletons in my yard.
What a great video, Margaret! Despite their spooky red eyes, I think cicadas are very cool. My favorite part of the poem is how the wings “saw the air” with sound.
I found three cicada exoskeletons while I was gardening today–they’re everywhere. So cool to see one emerging on your video! I love the phrase “saw the air with sound.” It almost feels like synesthesia.
(And I have a confession to make…I was so proud of myself for sending the fourth poetry swap poem out early…so proud that I forgot about the fifth one until today…but I am correcting that tonight!)
No worries. I did the same thing. I’ve got to get mine out this weekend!
“your creaky violin” — !!! Love it, Margaret. I love an ode too, especially this one! Thank you. xo
Love the sound of cicadas – and you’ve captured it so elegantly here with your verse, dear Margaret. Thank you for this.
Once again I’ll say what lucky students you have, Margaret! Enjoyed your ode and those creaky violins whispering in the wind’s ear.
Thanks, Tabatha.
I really wanted to post one of their poems, but they are not ready yet. Only the first week. They need time to polish their skills.
“wings
that saw the air
with sound.”
So true!!
We’ve had a relatively quiet (in terms of cicadas) summer this year.
LOVE the video/gif of the emergence.
I loved that line, too, but it’s not accurate. The cicada actually has an organ called a tymbal that makes the sound. It is under the wings. But sawing the air went so well with the violin image. Poetic license.
[…] « Ode to the Cicada […]
I loved the video of the cicada molting. And this line: “that saw the air
with sound” and this one,”a bronze clasp pen for my lapel.” beautiful. We don’t have them here so I miss their music.
It seems the summer wasn’t hot enough this year here in New England for cicadas. I remember what they sounded like in Japan last year though. I love the s sounds threading through your poem and this line: “wings that saw the air
with sound.” And now I know what a molting cicada looks like!
There’s a symphony outside my door tonight! I must have knocked one off the door frame a couple weeks ago when I left for work because it fell on me (ACK!) and I shrieked (of course), batted it, and then realized what it was. They are ferociously ugly, so thanks for being honest. 🙂 Love your poem, friend.
They’re really not the prettiest of creatures, are they?? Although your poem more than makes up for it. Very nice!
Margaret, the video of the cicada caught my eye immediately. Then, I turned to the poem and the reading. I was wondering why this interesting creature did not visit my garden with its “wings that saw the air with sound” but I have to say that I don’t miss the hissing noise.
Margaret, this poem and the animation are both amazing! I love the lines:
“an ornament hanging on a tree,
a bronze clasp pen for my lapel.”
It reminds me of when my oldest daughter was about 5 or 6 (she’s 17 now) and she used to love to walk the neighborhood collecting cicada exoskeletons until one day she pulled one of the tree and the fella was still in there! SHE just about jumped out of her own skin!
I am laughing at your daughter’s experience. I have been modeling comments for my students. One of the things I tell them that is most complimentary to a writer is a personal connection. I will use your response as a model this week. They will find it funny, too. Thanks for stopping by.
[…] I read a comment on my Poetry Friday post from Bridget Magee, “Margaret, this poem and the animation are both amazing! I love the […]