Savior

On a shelter-sun afternoon,
swimming alone in a pool;
the calm water was refreshing
and soothing, the air raft
had no compass, wandering
ghostly to-and-fro.

Observant, I glanced down at 
this miserable swarthy bug
who was drowning right before
my eyes and I called upon myself,
'Ah, it's just a useless bug!' 
But, I was transfixed or obsessed 
with this meaningless bug for whom
flew too close to the water's edge just
like Icarus into the sun, but away I 
turned, no aid to its calling, just
another sacrificial swallowed bug.

However, fate intervened, and
all at once bestowed humanity,
within my cusp hand as I sprung
this little bug from its baptismal 
terror and anointed this voiceless
pest, away, up and away from my
saving palm as its tiny wings 
lifted up to the sun. 

- John Hardesty