Their Beauty Almost Stings
Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem
The birds and insects get it right. The male
Outshines in colors female beauty. Gold,
The females seem to be the richest. Hail
The gorgeousness of maleness, though. More bold
Than she, he sports a rainbow spectrum. Gem,
He shines, a glory from a jewellery shop.
He’s not a feminine pastel, no femme.
So when they’re mating, he’s the one on top.
Forget the pheasants and the peacocks. Turn
To golden bugs outshone by multi-hued
Winged guys. They both of them begin to burn
When first they meet. (Let’s not be lewd or crude.)
He goes to town in filling her with seeds.
They find some joy in meeting buggy needs.
~ Phillip Whidden