Thursday, July 06, 2006

Swallowtails and other signs

Western Tiger Swallowtail, two at the tourist Denver Cliff Dwellings, 2 in the Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs), one before I left to take a vacation, several on the bikeride with Diane, are they all a sign, are they all even different individual butterflys? Jackson, Donna's friend of 4 years and 10 months, says he grew that yellow butterfly with the black trim. His name is Butter, Jackson's friend, our friend, we catch a glimmer, several times a day, the same Butter stopping by, each time signaling metamorphosis, change, transformation. The boy, Jackson, grows almost a year older, the friend, Donna, too, and she becomes more than just a neighbor, a babysitter, but a woman with a heart as wide as swallowtail wings, and yellow/orange as her house. The catepillar reorganizes in the cocoon, the chrysalis, during a seeming period of lifelessness that doesn't want to show itself in print. Give birth to a new idea, a new opening: shape, form, develop, hone. A butterfly lighting upon a flower is the very essence of joy, beauty, and freedom. Christian soul, Chinese bliss, Native Americans see the butterfly as change and joy...spiritual rebirth. Welcome all, the little boy turning five, the Donna turning 52, the Megan, sweet 40, best transition of all. And Wendy, she is getting ready to fly from her tender white cocoon in Washington. She is done with the generative stage and she is ready to fly. Oh yes, enough of this silken broading. Do what we must and then let it go to the warmth of summer.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:33 PM

    Sister Wendy,

    You have been given a voice to tell your story, and wings to fly to live in freedom and joy.

    The Bear goddess

    And the Turtle goddess says, FLY FLY!!!!!

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  2. Anonymous8:15 AM

    I have thought of you *so much* this week as my Poetry Workshop class has gotten into full swing. So far, we've read Jorie Graham, Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams (of course), Elizabeth Bishop, Sylvia Plath, etc.

    So what does it mean regarding leaving your cocoon of Washington? Are you speaking literally or metaphorically? Should I have been able to figure it out by looking at diction, tone, & register? :P~~~~

    miss you!

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