Below are examples of dragonflies in popular culture. The song on the bottom left column is the poem and audio version of the poem on the bottom right column. This poem and song captures the joy humans find when witnessing a Dragonfly. I have found myself on many occasions looking at this swift, mysterious and beautiful insect. I use to watch them fly over the pond behind my house in Florida during sunsets. I use to think about how amazing Dragonflies looked with their different colors and large size. The poem and song both show how humans try to connect themselves with nature. According to http://www.whoislog.info/profile/w-h-davies.html#personal_facts "William Henry Davies or W. H. Davies (3 July 1871 – 26 September 1940) was a Welsh poet and writer. Davies spent a significant part of his life as a tramp or hobo, in the United Kingdom and United States, but became known as one of the most popular poets of his time. The principal themes in his work are the marvels of nature, observations about life's hardships, his own tramping adventures and the various characters he met." His poem "The Dragonfly" occurs from the point of view of a man trying to reconnect to the world. W.H Davies "The Dragonfly" strikes me as a man who wonders if the garden he planted with many wonderful plants is good enough for the presence of such a beautiful organism that is the Dragonfly. Davies is able to see life in a more simple, naturalistic way,unlike the views at the time which were militant steming from the first World War. The Fleetwood Mac song version of W.H Davies poem occured during a time when enviromentalism gained momentum with the first "Earth Day" celebration happening a year before. Fleetwood Mac is a British/American rock band that formed in 1967 producing 17 albums.
Lyrics To Dragonfly by Fleetwood Mac (1971)
And when the roses are half-bud soft flowers And lovely as the king of flies has come It was a fleeting visit, all too brief In three short minutes, he had been and gone He rested there upon an apple leaf A gorgeous opal crown sat on his head Although the garden is a lovely place Was it worthy of so fine a guest? Oh... (x 4) Dragonfly, dragonfly |
The Dragonfly (1927)
Now, when my roses are half buds, half flowers And loveliest, the king of flies has come- It was a fleeting visit, all too brief; In three short minutes he has seen them all, And rested, too, upon an apple tree. There, his round shoulders humped with emeralds, A gorgeous opal crown set on his head, And all those shining honours to his breast- ‘My garden is a lovely place’ though I, ‘But is it worthy of such a guest?’ He rested there, upon the apple leaf- ‘See, see,’ I cried amazed, ‘his opal crown, And all those emeralds clustered around his head!’ ‘His breast, my dear, how lovely was his breast-’ The voice of my Beloved quickly said. ‘See, see his gorgeous crown, that shines With all those jewels bulging round its rim-’ I cried aloud at night, in broken rest. Back came the answer quickly, in my dream- ‘His breast, my dear, how lovely was his breast!’ |