Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Swallowtail




Swallowtail
By Elece Hollis

All among the flowers
 She fluttered, she flew and she lit,
Again her wings opened and closed like doors
On hinges
Windows that know the sky, the wind, the voice
Of the creator who called her from a chrysalis
Before that from an egg on the underside of a leaf
From the egg she crawled a caterpillar
Along the leaf eating, eating—so hungry
Always full and still hungry 
 To the under-edge of a twig
 To wait and grow—curl up inside a tiny room where 
She sleeps, she waits again and longer until the day 
She fits no more—her natural plastic splits
 Off she goes and her wings expand with fluid pumped in
Her moist wings dry in the warm sun 
She flaps them the first time
Flies off to be somebody's miracle,
Somebody's message,
Somebody's angel
Somebody's delight.
 Now she is mine.







©2014 Elece Hollis , author of Meet God in the Morning, Poems from the Heart of Prayer,
 a devotional book with poems by Helen Steiner Rice. Find this book.Meet God in the Morning: Poems for the Heart of Prayer

4 comments:

  1. Fabulous imagery in your words. Thank you for this outstanding poem and the images that accompany it.

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    1. Thanks Rebecca, I have always loved butterflies. This is a Spicebush Swallowtail. There are lots around here and I took these photos in Fayetteville, AR.

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  2. The third picture with the swallowtail with wings partially closed is my favorite. The poem is nice!

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    1. Yes Thanks. I like that one too except the red truck in the background shows up bright.

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