Read My Pins (21 page)

Lion, Kenneth Jay Lane.

Two chicks, Tiffany & Co.

The dragon, meanwhile, has long symbolized China, as the bear has Russia, the koala Australia, and the mighty kiwi New Zealand. The Andean region is proud of its condor, Arabs of the peregrine falcon, Guatemala of the resplendent quetzal, Belize of the toucan, and the Bahamas of its flamingo. The United States may have a patent on the bald eagle, but other eagle species are claimed by a dozen lands, including Mexico’s golden variety, Poland’s white-tailed, Panama’s harpy, and the African fish eagle of Zimbabwe and Zambia. The ubiquity of the great bird of prey is what prompted Benjamin Franklin to suggest for America a national symbol all its own: the turkey.

Out of government, I have less need to concern myself with such associations. I am free instead to indulge my own preferences, which include, in addition to patriotic symbols, such intriguing creatures as butterflies, frogs, songbirds, winged insects, and an infinite variety of bugs—especially big ones, the kind that seem poised to leap from my jacket. As with the lion and serpent, many of these species come with a past.

Shaman Bear, Carolyn Morris Bach.

The dragonfly is an extraordinary species, with large eyes, two sets of powerful wings, an athletic body, and a healthy appetite for mosquitoes (
center pin
) and other pests. Known to the English as the “devil’s darning needle,” the insect is associated by the Japanese with courage, happiness, and strength. Artists find dragonflies fascinating; so do I.
En tremblant dragonfly with pearl, Heidi Daus; turquoise enamel dragonfly, Ciner; yellow dragonfly, Swarovski; other designers unknown.