Sighting Butterflies

The Celts thought that women became pregnant by swallowing butterfly souls-- unknown.

His heart
captured on film,
contracting, white light echoes.

Shapes for a moment-- frozen–
a butterfly.

Rebirth, transformation. An
always moving
beautiful life
spent
seeking
sweetness.

His heart
still fighting to grow,
will be fierce.
He will give that heart to you
a million times over.

And you would do anything
to protect that butterfly heart
from the pain you know will happen
the loss you know is inevitable in time.

And you will teach him:
Savor that sweetness.
Rest your wings in sunshine.
Fly higher, forgetting the ground,
forgetting the caterpillar’s gravity-bound toil.

His heart
waits for summer.
Wings beating slowly, now, resting,
anticipating the flurry
of bee-laden yellow zinnias and their intoxication to come.

Your heart
contracting , quietly hidden anticipation:
smiles, tears, the smell behind his neck
of little boy like wet shaggy dog.

Your heart
shapes for a million frozen moments–
His.

Kaw Feb 05