Sun, full and free,

lights their wings

like fire during this manic

pursuit of procreation,

the orgy whirling

around every bush.

Nature and instinct, joint masters

of this ceremony announce,

Now is the time! Now!

Make merry, make life!

A command to spin and dance

before finding the river,

giddy with flight, zooming,

weaving, bobbing upstream

to find the spot that beckons,

Here! I am ready for life! Here!

inspiring the plunge underwater.

Sudden cold electrifies

passion’s intoxication,

eggs release onto rocks,

ready to grow and become part

of this savage cycle.

Purpose fulfilled, the caddis burst

back into summer air, wild

with celebration.