Fireflies, Fraud, and Haiku

I started my blog three years ago with the modest goal of teaching simple, timeless financial principles to family and friends in a way that is easy to understand, entertaining, and memorable.  As all writers know, sometimes you wonder if the message is getting through.  And as any parent knows, this is especially true of your own children.  You often wonder if they have learned any of the lessons you have been trying to teach them.

Therefore, I was both surprised and proud when my wonderful, whimsical, witty, impulsive, creative, adventurous, just turned twenty-one year-old daughter Shannon not only read my recent post about fireflies and investment scams, but was inspired enough by it to write a three-verse haiku to summarize its message as only she could do.  Here is Shannon’s haiku:

Love and Lies in Fireflies by Shannon Esplin

Lighting up the night

They do not put up a fight

Love greets them with death

 

Sweet love is the goal

Deciphering the code

Such a bitter end

 

Lessons to be learned

Don’t run to the perfect thing

Financial death awaits

 

Isn’t that great?  I think she just put me to shame as far as teaching a simple, timeless financial principle in an entertaining and memorable way.

More Haiku

I enjoyed Shannon’s haiku so much that I invited other readers to submit haiku based on my post.  A couple of them responded.

 

David B. Wrote:

Fireflies’ small brains

Are not like my big, big brain

(And they don’t have cash)

 

Sharla H. wrote:

Devious firefly

I know about your code, shhh

Photuris female

 

And:

 

Follow your instinct

My love is not deceiving

But my intention?

 

What little talent I have is in prose, not poetry, but I decided to give it a shot also:

 

In love or money

Be cautious of perfection

Ask yourself, “Why me?”

 

And:

 

Fireflies seeking love

And people seeking treasure

Must both be wary

 

I would love to hear more haiku on the topic of fireflies and fraud.  Please leave a haiku in the comments below and remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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