The Moth Dies For Our Sins

Free Verse by John Grey

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A moth flew into the lampshade,
orbited the bulb,
then, hypnotized by its light,
did its best Icarus imitation,
flew into its red-hot glass,
dropped dead on the table.

And was forever one
of the instances in our circle
where something or someone
goes beyond their bounds,
are drawn to what can kill them.

Not just moths.
In fact, never again moths.
Repellant sprays took care of that.
But friends who took drugs,
or drank in excess,
or drove too fast,
or gambled more than they
could afford to lose,
or cheated on loved ones
or…

The moth set an example
yet none of them saw.

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John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident, recently published in New World Writing, California Quarterly and Lost Pilots. Latest books, ”Between Two Fires”, “Covert” and “Memory Outside The Head” are available through Amazon. Work upcoming in Isotrope Literary Journal, Seventh Quarry, La Presa and Doubly Mad..