Moth Upside Down on the Ceiling

This black moth

flew in the front door

of the living room  

the other night 

and has been up 

on the ceiling

ever since.

It's hanging 

upside down

in the same spot

not moving

like a drone waiting 

for instructions.  

I'm in my recliner 

this morning

drinking coffee 

and watching him.

He's an immigrant 

from the light

that shines all night

on the front porch

letting burglars know

I have an AK-47  

should they decide

to drop in.

The last few nights

I've noticed other moths 

fluttering around the light 

perhaps wondering where 

this moth is. 

In his current fix, 

he too may be wondering

how they're doing.

When I was a boy,

there was a protocol

in my family when 

a moth commandeered  

the parlor ceiling.

My father would swing

the fly swatter

and flatten the intruder 

with one splat.

The last three mornings

I haven't seen this moth move.

I wouldn't kill him

even if I had a swatter. 

But if he were 

an inconvenience,  

like an unintended fetus

found in a womb, 

I still wouldn't do anything. 

We have people trained

to take care of that

and like my father 

they know what 

they're doing.

Donal Mahoney