firefly lights are the most efficient in the world
and produce no wasted heat,
yet i imagine one would still burn my tongue
if i held it in my mouth to keep from speaking.

or maybe i should be more like a firefly
and communicate solely through light.
a flash of envy here, a flicker of sorrow there,
my happiness spelled out in a chemical morse code.

tap a firefly egg carefully enough and it glows.
a kiss on my neck, and i may do the same.
but give me sharp words or bruised heartbeats,
and the taste of poison will never leave your tongue.

you see, a firefly's average lifespan is two months,
and its average love story even shorter.
still, it must mean something to find the one
with whom you can rival a constellation
as you dance together at night.