November Butterfly

Seasons change at different speeds, bringing strange anomalies to tease the imagination.

photo by Sue Cauhape

November Butterfly

A yellow leaf fluttered oddly.
Curious, I checked where it fell
And found to my astonishment
A tiny eurema lisa supping
From the broad banquet table
Of a dandelion.

It's November!
Thanksgiving is days away.
Snow is predicted for tomorrow.
I wondered if this really was  
A butterfly.

Perhaps, it's a space traveler
Caught in the jet stream
Of a Leonid meteor.

And the dandelion?
Its leaves splay around it
Like a tattered dress
Sodden and gray
Yet its disc gleams
With inner light.

The traveler spent the whole afternoon
Gorging on nectar.
As sunlight faded to dusk,
The butterfly moved on,
Leaving the flower drained
And wilted among the fallen leaves.

To my American readers, may you all have a safe and pleasant holiday. May feuds be settled, health be sustained, and joy fill your hearts with gratitude.

If you enjoyed this post feel free to explore other poems, essays, and stories in the Ring Around the Basin Archive. I also love to read your comments, so please share your thoughts. Let’s start a conversation. And if you wish to support my writings, please consider subscribing or upgrading to a paid subscription. It’s now only $50/year. Even better, I would appreciate it if you could share Ring Around the Basin with your friends. Thank you!