A Praying Mantis climbs through a tiny jungle gym of grass bladesA young praying mantis is a ghostly insinuation in the green worldPraying mantis survives the perils of a backyard microwildernessA young praying mantis peers out from a corner of its silent, prismatic forestA praying mantis nymph disappears in a miniature fantasia of seed clusters and crystal ball water droplets.Minutes old and ready to hit the ground stalkingA new-born, skeeter-size bundle of hungerA mantis crosses a bridge of grassPraying mantis hatches from its egg case, an oothecaA patient praying mantis waits silently

© Rick Lieder 2009