The butterfly wings move like lungs
Breathing
Tiny feet scare her away
She is halfway through her day
A hundred soldiers upset the bridge
They run
I run
But the soldiers move
It is their duty
I have none
Do you know where I am I ask
He says yes
I am not sure
I think the moon is in the curtains
But it’s just the light
Electric. Wire. Finger prints
All the right elements
The woman lies under the bridge
Coke. Pills. Police
All the right elements
They rest their arms on the car window
Like she is worth words
I sit in the chair
The garden is nice
Green. Thick. Moist
All the right elements
She asks me to talk
I find I no longer have words for the thing that has become
my story
There is blood underneath the butterfly wing
I stroke her
She is almost at the end of her day
I cradle her. Talk. Soothe
Fill her little head with a cushion of words
Banter like wing beats
To stop her hurting
To help her rest
Do you know where you are I ask her
And she smiles
Her wings gently fold in my fingers
We are here
We are here
We are here.
Jae, this is beautiful. I love the picture of gently holding a little butterfly and speaking to her as she beats her wings for the last of her days. Yes, we ARE here. We are HERE. WE are here.
ReplyDeleteSome very raw and real images in this. The woman under the bridge, coke, pills, police and her not being worth any words.
ReplyDeleteThe image of the butterfly in your hands is beautiful. I hope you know that a butterfly is a symbol of hope, of new life. I love the softness of her unfolding wings.
Beautiful, just beautiful.
You have folded together all the elements of another great poem. Beauty. Sadness. Hope. Despair. And existential fact. "We are here." Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI think the butterfly is very symbolic of the metamorphosis between addiction and recovery. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteComforting the butterfly is such a beautiful image. And yes, we are here. When we can accept that without fighting it, we find our compassion.
ReplyDeleteThe picture you leave us with is one of the loveliest visions I have seen in a very long time. This is wonderful Jae. Thank you for writing it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary..like Peter Pan..clap your hands if you believe :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Daydreamer..she is worth words..we all are..thank you..
Thank you very much Nico..
Thank you very much Laurie..maybe so..my little butterfly waits in ink on my ankle.. ;)
Thank you kindly Ann..fighting for the wrong thing can so easily waste your one day..
Thank you Altonian..I am so glad you found it so ..
ReplyDeleteThe care and compassion, both overtly and subtly demonstrated in this piece, gently prod the reader beyond judgement and assumption to a more unconditionally loving place. This is, in it's essence, scriptural, Jae. It is a parable with meanings layered and hidden. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteA butterfly is a new beginning I hope she got hers.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kim..funny how these things creep out..i am just glad that the care was in both directions..
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Sheilagh..
Sometimes all the right elements come together in the simple and sublime; like the breathing of butterfly wings.
ReplyDeleteThis one is mind blowing beautiful ... the emotions are conveyed so seamlessly ... amazing !!!
ReplyDelete"fill her little head with a cushion of words...and the rest of the verse is just as spiritually
ReplyDeletecompassionate and full of lovingkindness, as is the entire
poem.
jae, your heart must be one that
bleeds for all the hurt ones.
love this poem, and I will try to
fill the hurt ones head with a cushion of words.
thank you for my daily lesson.,
Jae, those soothing words to the butterfly are a mantra I often repeat to myself in stressful situations. This has to be one of your most poignant and accessible poems EVER. Such a perfect ending, even as the butterfly faces... a new beginning? Peace, Amy
ReplyDeletehttp://sharplittlepencil.com/2012/09/05/nurse-in-the-field-afghanistan/
Reading this possibly 12 hours or so after everyone has said what I wanted to say I am bereft of words. It is truly heart rending to read and feel what you have conveyed in this outstanding poem. No praise is enough for touching our hearts in this way.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that this is quite powerful. Wow.
ReplyDeletewhat a first line! Original and striking! I am an huge fan of your writing. I love the repetition, you and then the butterfly damaged, asking the way almost as if you are one and the same. So many thoughts in such a short poem.
ReplyDeletebeing "here" has many emotions, sometimes,,,reckon?
ReplyDeleteThank you Alice..simple is sometimes best..
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Green Speck..
Thank you Paige + Shauna..i like that little cushion..
Thank you very much Amy..i am glad she speaks with you too..
Thank you OldEgg..much appreciate your support..as ever..
Thank you Mirth..
Thank you DandelionGirl...one and the same..
Yes Glenn..could be good..or not..depends on the here..or what you make of the here?..thank you..
ReplyDeleteI've still got the first lines image in my head. It's been there all day. The sign of greatness.
ReplyDeletex Dandelion Girl..maybe they were on the tip of your tongue anyway..that's why they stay?
ReplyDeleteThis is the loveliest yet, Jae!
ReplyDeleteOne of your best! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Belva..
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary Ann ..
Talking butterflies hmmm. Reminds me of
ReplyDeleteI talk to the trees
but they don't listen to me
an Alice in Wonderland surreality.
Thank you Rallentanda..Alice is always in my grubby little pocket..
ReplyDeleteThe first two lines gave me pause--such beautiful imagery.
ReplyDeleteFrom start to finish, a breath-taking piece. Gorgeous!
Thank you very much RMP..
ReplyDeleteyes, Jae this is so beautiful! Symbolic and beautiful! The image of the one who flies...comes to you for comfort.
ReplyDeleteThank you..she is gratefully received.. x
ReplyDeleteOh I have missed reading you....the repetition of "all the right elements" draws the reader through each image and you ground us with the moonlight, the smell of the garden, the cool night under the bridge. We shiver and yet woven through it all is the delicate image of the butterfly, then you land us softly at the end in a cushion of words. So lovely and loving, even with the harshness of the world. We can look on it all yet feel a helpless love for the world because we are here. Love love love this.
ReplyDelete