Sitting on a damp tree trunk in the middle of the rainforest at 6 am or closing my eyes on a night canoe ride, life is around me. Stargazing with my peers on a wooden platform (without light pollution), magic is above me. Fluttering or clashing wings, crashing cascade of falling fruit, scampering of feet, leaf hitting leaf, the flowing rush of creek water as it mulls around the rocks, and water splashing against boots or fish slashing up and out to eat the dirt off said boots. Birds, monkeys, amphibians, and insects of all species competing for sound, but remaining in rhythm as if the jungle is one giant never-ending orchestra. I fall asleep to this lullaby and wake up to a new, yet familiar song.

From a distance, the rainforest appears a consistent shade of green and brown. The decomposing leaves on the ground, the moss, the canopy, and every tree. Getting lost literally in the forest is easy with this mentality. But only when you relax and fully look around do you see the vibrant colors of birds, butterflies, bees, frogs, and flowers hidden within.

I think that is what I had been missing in my life back home: honest music and color. Pausing to stop and listen. Pausing to look around. To see what I was previously ignorant of. To be distracted. To actually enjoy and appreciate beauty. And believing it is completely valid to run away screaming from the sight of an enormous bee the size of my palm.

 

Dragonfly hunter by trade

 

Marching into battle, boots sinking in mud

Net hung over right shoulder, body heavy with sleep, sweat, and blood

Time is of essence and weather must be optimal not crud

For                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     The dragons do not come out unless provoked by promising safety and dry perch sites

 

The dragons fly solo but in large congregations of clashing wings

We watch behind tree trunks, palms, and other tall things

Crouched beside a perched foul beast, I throw myself into a full swift swing

For

The dragons will not stay and will flee faster than the speed of light

 

Empty net, yet again, at least that is until I hear a slight buzz resisting the material

Captured the prisoner in my hand, ready to be marked, but then it bites my finger…unbelievable

This beast may have escaped, but it will be hunted again so I can mark its abdomen whole

For

The dragons remain in select areas and can be found at dawn or right before night

 

Holding the net high above my head with steady determination

Eyes scanning, searching, zoning in on a lone dragon in a rather stationary position

I swing and almost miss, but fortunately the creature has the right motivation

For

The dragons sometimes simply do not resist and behave just right

This being, with its black bar colored wings and striped abdomen tail,

Does not bite and allows me to paint it combos of purple, blue, green, orange, or yellow without a fail

A bright vibrant dragon looks like a brand new species among its fellow males and females

For

The marked dragons are easy to spot and could possibly be eaten faster later on in life