To the Dead Butterfly

by William J   Jan 29, 2012


To the dead butterfly that lays its patterns
Towards the ceiling outside my bedroom
I ask,
How long did you crawl undignified
On your tiny limbs,
Spending many sad hours
Stuffing your face and filling your premature body
With trembling leaves?
How long did it take for your beauty to grow
With your wings?
How did it feel to fly?
How did it feel to see the grass with
Newly formed eyes
With perspectives gracefully
Fluttering in the air?

How many hurricanes did you flutter
Into terrible existence?

Your new beauty did not excuse you.

How many times did you fruitlessly bang
Your head against the window?
How long did you flicker and twitch your
Wings in agony on the ground?
Was it Starvation or the feel of defeat
That killed you?

I too had to crawl undignified
On my hands,
I too had to fill my premature body
With milk
Rather than leaves,
I too flutter and twitch in agony
From the feel of defeat,
I too am trapped behind the glass window
Of mortality.

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Latest Comments

  • 12 years ago

    by Hellon

    I loved the comparisons you have made in this verse and the questions you ask. From it's time in the cocoon to becoming a caterpillar and finally a butterfly is indeed a battle but...I also see it as an achievement.

    Was it Starvation or the feel of defeat
    That killed you
    ^^^
    I think it should be feeling? If so, you use it again in the next stanza so...maybe read it over again to see what you think?

    I really enjoyed this one from you...well done!

  • 12 years ago

    by lonelynow

    Absolutely beautiful.

  • 12 years ago

    by William J

    Thank you for the comments, I'm glad that they have such effects :) and thanks Phoenix I shall make the proper edits to the poem now!

  • 12 years ago

    by Karla

    William, your poems amaze me.You are a great Poet.

  • 12 years ago

    by Decayed

    That is sure going in to my favorites. Willam, I'm still clutching at my words that you are an awesome writer. I'm looking forward to read more poems from you, more such deep, deep poems.

    In the first line, it's should be.. its

    and

    "How many times did you fruitlessly bang
    You head against the window?"

    --> your head.. instead of ... you head

    ----

    At first, I didn't know where you were heading. But when I reached the part of comparing yourself to that butterfly from different aspects, I had my jaw dropping.

    It's such a deep piece, and very creative. maybe thoughts provoking, too.

    Amazin!

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