Today I saw a black butterfly
hover among the summer flowers
lighting tenderly on each
her weight barely bent the
slender stems and petals
She unhurriedly carried the
scent of each beautiful thing
indigenous and welcome
each bloom bowed gracefully
to her dark presence as she passed.
So let sorrow visit your conversations
when she knocks against the window
Let her velvet wings hover among
the happy, the silly and the profound
Do not fear her darkness, she belongs
Let grief share the air with laughter
without fear, shame or regret
Let the beat of her wings shudder
the air from your chest if it must
but let her salt tears heal your eyes
till at last, with 20 20 certainty
you see that you are
not broken
not alone
not weak
Just you
And everything belongs
Photo by Janice Carriger
Don Lowe 