Butterfly (July 2025)
Some butterflies dart by in a blur of colour, With sunshine on their wings Racing their friends Seeking colourful places. Joyful, beautiful brightness, In the corner of my eye. Oblivious to me. Some stop to land in my garden They perch on the highest branches of the trees, They pause briefly in the tangle of bushes, Or rest lightly on spring blossoms. If they sense my shadow, they fly away So I watch them from afar Until they leave. Most often, I see what once were butterflies, But are no longer. A single wing caught in a web Gathered amongst fallen leaves Or caught in a flurry on the pavement. A beautiful memory. With careful work, I have built my own cocoon Trying to determine who I will become When I finally emerge. I long to join the butterflies Colourful and dainty Beautiful and oblivious, Memorable. I suspect that I am a moth. Tenille