*

Daniel Hudon sends us three prose/poetry pieces from his new book, Brief Eulogies for Lost Animals: An Extinct Reader. Hudon, originally from Canada, is a lecturer in astronomy and math. He lives in Boston, MA, and can be found at danielhudon.com and @daniel_hudon.

Daniel Hudon

 The Xerces Blue

Glaucopsyche xerces

Amidst the scrub that grew on the dunes, like a momentary indecision of the plunging winds, flew the Xerces blue butterfly, a drunken king of motion unburdened by the world of desire.

            As the fog came and went, the Xerces blue, with white spots on its dusty wings, fluttered about with the coastal green hairstreak (Callophrys dumetorum) and the two wavered care-lessly like petals on the wind.

            Now the wind buffets the houses, the coastal green hairstreak flies alone, and the Xerces blue, last seen near a pauper’s cemetery, sleeps somewhere in the drowsy arm of stillness.

The Mamo

Drepanis pacifica

Prized for its golden thigh feathers which were used to make spectacular cloaks for Hawaiian royalty, little is known about this black and gold honeycreeper. In fact, ornithologists are only sure about a few things: it lived on the Big Island.

            It loved to sip nectar with its long bill.

            It was often seen in small groups, possibly families.

            Its song was a single, long, mournful note.

            It was last seen in 1898.

— Daniel Hudon

*

_________________________________________

To have your work considered for the Lyrical send it to:
Doug Holder, 25 School St.; Somerville, MA 02143
dougholder@post.harvard.edu