Grasshopper
The edge of the sky met land
Wind whipped and grayed by clouds in the blue spring morning
My company all flanked the way from end to end
Their eyes focused and purposefully searching
And I sat back, anxiously unaware of our missions purpose
"I've got one!" The elder cries
Hands cradling and cupping shut
"Let me see!" Demands the boss
Or shall I say, MY boss
The others return their steadfast attention
My heart beated loudly in my ear
I crouched and waited
Unaware of my desperate need of lenses
The green crabgrass mocked me
Dancing the "nanny-nanny-boo-boo" dance
Green on green, I squinted
Watching leaping legs of girl and bug
I took my chances to show effort
Diving palm first into the lawn
Only after the impact was I able to see them jump
The wheels of my mind turned
If I could only scare them out
Then I could catch the creature
My hypothesis was put to the test
I really didn't like bugs
I don't like bugs
I saw it bound out of hiding
I shuddered
No thanks
The boss was looking
I feined my subsequent attempts
More calls of triumph rang out
The clouds covered the sun
I kicked at the dirt and sighed
"Where do you think you are going?"
The boss sounded displeased
"I don't want to touch the bugs." I huffed
"They aren't bugs, they're grasshoppers."
"Nuh-uh." I scoffed and turned
My sisters crossed their arm
The eldest and the boss
Then the other girls called triumph
The others had caught more grasshoppers
And I went home early to be alone