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Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. Leonard Cohen

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Tiger Swallowtail



source

Darkness and light lie 
side by side
Lovers
Making each other stronger by opposition

You are composed of dichotomies:
Fragile wings 
the colors of a killer
Soaring born of crawling
Beauty and grace from lowliness

You are a stringless kite
Dipping and diving
to escape your earthbound origins

You inspire awe, envy
Desire
You are free
You are imperiled
from those who seek to kill
what they can not possess.

submitted for Poetry Jam, Your Stripes, My Stripes

10 comments:

Brian Miller said...

ugh rather sobering end...but i guess all beauty is at rick of that isnt it...love butterflies....little sky dancers....

Fireblossom said...

...and there are far too many of that last type in the world. I love tiger swallowtails, and all butterflies. I like tigers, too. A shrink would probably have a field day with me.

Laurie Kolp said...

Drastic contrasts here... it's hard for me to think of a butterfly as anything but beautiful.

Mary said...

This is excellent. So true that darkness and light lie side by side. Really, one would not notice one without the other being visible. (Not only in the swallowtail but in everything!) A swallowtail definitely has its beauty, which you captured well. And that ending...so very true. Beauty sometimes has its price, even in the insect world.

Peggy said...

I love the idea of a butterfly being a stringless kite and also stripes being dark next to light. Thanks for participating Shari.

Margaret said...

Fragile wings
the colors of a killer

what an interesting thought! Well done.

Buddah Moskowitz said...

Oh my goodness! This is a great one! Wooo-ee! I loved the flight of images here. Tremendous ideas exquisitely executed! Take one of them there Nobel Prizes off the top shelf. Seriously, loved it.

Unknown said...

You made me consider again that each of us is an amalgam of darkness and light. And those who destroy what they cannot possess... that was fodder for lots of thought. This is a great piece for its provocation!

Pat Tillett said...

That was really good! So much contrast.
The more beautiful, the easier to lure in the victims...

Helena said...

Oh, my! The imaginings here have quite beautifully, startled and embraced me!


....got quite a giggle at Fireblossom's comment!