The butterflies that once inhabited my chest,
In little swarms of twos and threes,
Have now enlarged to huge herds of hundreds and thousands.
They have also swelled to such heroic proportions that,
They now fly free, all over my body,
Sparing no skin or nerve or cell.
The reason for this sudden upheaval of,
Hovering colours and sweet wing-beats,
Is of course, the arrival of YOU in my life.
These gorgeous beings with stained glass window wings,
And tiny kaleidoscope vision eyes,
Flutter agitatedly at the sight of you.
They alight upon my plushy, spongy lungs,
And perch upon the indentations of my clean, white ribs,
Squeezing, and flittering and quivering,
Making me breathless in the most pleasurable way imaginable.
Once we speak in light, soft words,
These butterflies calm down and,
Line themselves in bunches over my cheekbones,
Where a faint pink blush (from the weight of those heavy wings)
Is clearly visible.
These excitable creatures with their curled, cursive S proboscis,
Thirst fervently for nectar.
The nectar of knowledge.
Their hungry mouths ask questions that need answers.
(Why orange? Why does that song make you want to dance? What do you think about when you look up at the Star-studded sky? What book brings tears into your eyes?)
And I can't keep their yearnings tethered for long.
You know, I used to be a desolate little garden,
With scanty butterflies afflicted with lethargy.
And then you came, and refurbished me,
And now I am a lepidopterarium,
Filled with life, Filled with hope,
Filled with questions. Filled with mysteries.
Thank you for reading!!!!!
YOU ARE READING
NEPENTHE
PoetryHi there! The word NEPENTHE means anything that induces forgetfulness of sorrow or pain. I, for one, believe that little things like smiles, my mother's comfort food and long walks are the best forms of nepenthe around. These poems celebrate the s...
