"Those were hard things for me to come by, and I offer them to you for what they may be worth." - Toby Wolff



Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Of Dark Wings




I came home full of hope...
that stuff  that dreams create,
gauzy remnants of realism
as if all baggage were on the carousel
and the plane had left the terminal
lighter.

But the black butterfly was flitting about my door
relentlessly battering its night wings against my dark wood
and neither of us seemed to know where the light was anymore.
My delicacies were abraded
from the desire to be infused with brightness...
and the work. The WORK required to be so.
I begged that insect to fly far away,
with no return flight.

I am not of that darkness
anymore.



6 comments:

  1. Go away black butterfly. Stay in the light, Annie.

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    Replies
    1. It's a difficult task when the darkness beckons and feels so familiar. But I am committed to the brightness, the hope my faith offers, and the chance to live and experience life differently :)

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  2. I let your poem flow through me and our friendship. I know you a little now and I would like to hang out with you more often. Chris is doing well these days, by the way. And me. I am okay in my basement life though I really need my house to sell. It might soon. Anyway, I am glad we are friends. I want you to thrive. Here is the poem that tumbled out after I read yours. It is no more about you than yours is about me, but poetry is about us both.

    Tell Me

    The black butterfly
    left me your letter, many
    paragraphs richly
    encrypted, a code
    of your distant devising.

    It opened, popping
    like seed pods often
    split apart in shiny grins
    with green teeth showing.
    That left the black print
    to shower down around me
    in drifting dry piles.

    Truly, tell me now.
    Tell me what to do for you
    to touch your red heart.

    ‎July ‎29, ‎2014 7:43 PM

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    Replies
    1. You see me Christopher. That touches my heart. We have been flitting around the porch light of each others home for years now, watching as the decay occurs, the repair, the maintenance. We've laid bare some monsters and panned some gold. I'm sure we will venture back to Oregon some day. I'll storm the basement!!! Praying your house sells friend. Great news about Chris. Rough road he's had! ((hugs))

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  3. Your posts are always such an unanticipated wonderful surprise. I love the imagery my mind creates from your words.
    I’ve stood before such a door..
    I’m glad the darkness has left.

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    Replies
    1. It helps that you're an artist Anthony! What your heart feels you can paint. What your eye sees you can articulate on canvas. I feel blessed you keep on reading my attempts at word art. Thank you. Hoping there are far less doors such as that for either of us.

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Thank you for listening.