The family mansion sat
on a hill not far from Lawrence
tall white columns rising
to announce a stately entrance
I learned that my wife's father
attorney for the university
had bought it without taking
the time to tell his wife
he seemed not insensitive
only somewhat quirky
like his son Tim the doctor
who one night
took me for a drive
to test me I suppose
going eighty down a country
road on the wrong side

But what I remember
most are the fireflies
thousands of them
covering the field
that stretched below the house
flicking on and off
in the warm august evening
like a vast net of
tiny christmas lights