11 Comments
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Katie Grosskopf's avatar

I never considered cicadas beautiful until I started seeing tattoos of them. And then I remembered when I was a child fascinated by the exoskeletons and soothed by their songs and wondered when I learned the revulsion.

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Beth Felker Jones's avatar

What a great observation--the things we learn to find revolting!

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dannerman's avatar

A beautiful meditation. Thank you!

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Beth Felker Jones's avatar

thank you and you're welcome!

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Pamela Urfer's avatar

Beautifully put.

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Beth Felker Jones's avatar

thank you!

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Jenn's avatar

I love this so much, as is usually the case with your posts.

I was in Chicago in...2006, I think? during a cicada emergence. It was interesting hearing the locals' varied reactions to them. We don't have them out here...EXCEPT, last summer I was out in our garden and I saw this enormous unusual bug the like of which I had never ever ever seen in our yard. I ID'd it on my phone (since I didn't at the time have this helpful post with your photos) and it was, in fact a cicada.

I have so many questions. How did it get there? Why did it get there? It isn't local to our region AND apparently it was an off year? Any theories?

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Beth Felker Jones's avatar

I know nothing but that's fascinating!

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Jenn's avatar

Right? I gotta see if I can find the photo I took of it...

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PIERRE WHALON's avatar

A very creative meditation on life, death, and new life–and cicadas! Great photos too.

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Beth Felker Jones's avatar

thanks!

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