Monday, May 9, 2011

Orange Butterflies



Butterflies of black wings dipped orange in flight
Flutter high on breeze push pillows white
A half open window blows curtains blue
Harmonica’s lament leak tears in tune

Lover’s lies of wrongs sing loud goodbyes
Mother sighs at songs sung soft and cries
A half open window blows curtains blue
Iridescent events hearts beg aren’t true

But prayerful wings
Fond of orange butterflies
Cured blindness with love
From a new Father’s eye
And mothers don’t cry
Blue curtains stay dry
Because of prayerful wings
Fond of orange butterflies

Basketballs of young dreams deflate at night
Left alone in blindness no father’s sight
A half open window blows curtains blue
Ephemeral moments short lived like dew

Windows stay shut at our old home these days
Blue curtains catch dust grow mildew and fade
It’s quiet outside where a lad once wept
Listening to lyrics with sad intent

But prayerful wings
Fond of orange butterflies
Cured blindness with love
From a new Father’s eye
And basketballs bounce high
Blue curtains stay dry
Because of prayerful wings
Fond of orange butterflies

24 comments:

Reflections said...

This is a wonderful piece, the layers depth, beyond the simple phrases.... love the evolutions as well.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

very lovely,
love the strong talent you have shown here.

thanks for linking to poets rally.

Beachanny said...

The colors layered here with the flight of the butterfly throughout, bring strong emotion to the poem and move the picture of a window and the lament through time. Excellent use of rhyme and color for effect. Thank you. Gay

Unknown said...

The closure and positive note of the last stanza are welcome and wonderful.

Short Poems said...

Wonderful write, love it!
You have great creative page here!

Anonymous said...

i loved it! keep it up your awesome
!

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

A++

have fun!

flaubert said...

Agreed, that last stanza is just gorgeous, Henry.

Pamela

Brian Miller said...

dude this is serious rhyme..the one that did it for me was the second stanza honestly...it kicked it up to top notch...

Anonymous said...

Very melodic... Melody and pain are a difficult mix. I particularly visualized the blue curtains. They are the focal point of this poem, I believe. Good job!

Anita Magdalena said...

Your words paint a vivid pictures and could be put to music.

Anita.

Pat Hatt said...

I really like how you added the basketball touch
And the butterfly pic made it increase by much
As you can really see the words behind the pic
Giving a great rhyming lick
Also like how you went from open to close
Bringing the cheer and the woes
A very strong rhyme it is
And I should know as I'm a whiz..lol

hedgewitch said...

Almost a childhood skip song, sung sweet and high, and you've done such a good job with your repeating lines of singsonging home the poem--I can see the curtains blue, the butterfly wings...the sense of loss and redemption is strong.

Anonymous said...

Wow-wee! This is a monolith of poetic prowess! I have enjoyed reading your work. I have a cord of the mundane plucked to beauty!!!

JL Dodge said...

Very nice write, love the blue curtain !
JL&B

Eclipse said...

Sadness woven by the threads of colors....
great write Henry, thank you for sharing

Tashtoo said...

The music in your heart is made clearly evident in this write, Henry! Read aloud, it's flow is flawless and I think, if I had to pick a favorite phrase..."...leak tears in tune" speaks very loudly to me. Bravo! (and much thanks for the double comment over at my little bubble...made my day!) :)

Mary said...

Henry, this is a beautiful poem. I love 'prayerful wings' and all of the images you have so artistically woven together.

Kerry O'Connor said...

This has such wonderful sound infused in each line - mellifluous is the only word that springs to mind.

Unknown said...

I'm imagining you thinking, "What the heck? What rhymes with orange!?!"

Dig the repeating stanza. This part was my favorite:

"Basketballs of young dreams deflate at night
Left alone in blindness no father’s sight"

Excellent! :D

Liz Rice-Sosne said...

This is a wonderful poem. At first as I read, I thought to myself: "how cleverly done, linking these emotions to various things shown here." Then I came to the next to last stanza and the poem went from clever to making tears come to my eyes. This is beautiful Henry.

arquious said...

Bright and vibrant imagery to this poetry.
A delight to read and ruminate on.

Anonymous said...

The repeated refrain of the butterflies is so poignant-- lovely write.

Helena said...

Moving indeed. I'll think of this every time I close my (blue) curtains at night...!

I'm Just a Man (Recording Experiment ... I can't sing)

I am in the mood to change my tree to a cubic version.