Tattered
Wings
I was
sitting out in the north garden chatting with my best
friend on the cell phone, and enjoying a beautiful Autumn
afternoon when I saw a butterfly flutter by. As it landed
on one of my pink cosmos flowers I slipped back inside
the house, remarking to my friend as I did that I should
have taken the camera out with me to begin with. I
expected the butterfly to be long gone by the time I got
back outside with the camera, and was pleasantly
surprised to find it still sitting on that pink flower.
But, because of how it was perched upon that flower I was
going to have to walk by it in order to get a good shot
of it. I just knew it would flitter off when I did. Once
again I was pleasantly surprised when it didn't even
budge as I slowly walked by it. I took several shots of
that lovely butterfly as it rested upon the pink cosmos
flower.
Oddly enough, I didn't noticed the tattered and torn
condition of its wings until I had downloaded the photos
onto my laptop. At first I was disappointed by the shots
because of the condition of the butterfly's wings. But as
I studied the pictures the words "Tattered Wings" popped
into my head. As I continued to study the photos I began
to realize that those tattered and torn wings actually
added a bittersweet touch of beauty to the photo. They
are the wings of a butterfly who though past its youthful
prime, still finds sweet delight in the nectar of the
pink flower it landed upon. Those tattered and torn wings
are a beautiful combination of fragility and strength. So
very fragile now with age, yet still strong enough for
flight. Those wings also speak of survival. Though age
may be partly responsible for the tattered condition of
those wings, I also suspect they are the sign of a
butterfly who has escaped the jaws, or beaks of death at
least once.
As I study those torn and tattered wings I think about
how I planted not just flowers for the butterflies this
year, but plants that caterpillars like to feed on as
well. And think how wonderful it would be if eggs from
that butterfly hatch, become caterpillars, then one day
butterflies, all within the carefully planted world I
created for them. The thought of that happening brings a
strange sense of peace and pride to this woman, who like
the butterfly is far past her youthful prime, who met and
faced the Grim Reaper in her early youth, but lived to
tell about it. Though oft times marked by despair, other
times seared by lies and deceit, like the fragile
tattered wings of the butterfly, my darker shade of gray
soul still finds the strength to take flight sometimes
and not only enjoy the simple sight of a butterfly, but
photograph it, write about, and also offer that photo and
these words to others in hopes that in turn they will
brighten and inspire the hearts, minds, and souls of
others.
_______________
Vanity
This
Butterfly flitters & flutters
Still ever so gracefully....
This
Butterfly glitters & glides
Still upon soft breezes....
This
Butterfly weaves an ethereal dance
Still to whispered oohs & awe.
In
movement, this Butterfly's beauty
was not lost but found...
The
naked eye unable to percieve
this Butterfly's fading strengths...
The
mind blurred by
this Butterfly's glorious past.
Not
until the camera's eye did capture
this Butterfly's tattered state...
As
this Butterfly caught a gasping breath
resting upon yon late bloom...
Did
this Butterfly realize this last
dance was mine.
Moon_Magick
_______________
Please
join in the spirit of The Word Garden, help it grow, and
send your poem or story of 500 words or less for the
Tattered Wings photo to wordgarden@beyondblonde.com.
Though you may name your story or poem whatever you wish,
please include the words Tattered Wings in the subject
heading or body of your email if you are sending a
contribution for this photo.
If have an interesting photo that you think might inspire
others to pen a verse or short story please make sure it
is in jpg format, no larger than 150K file size, and send
it to me at the same email addy for consideration for The
Word Garden.
****