Butterfly Dreams
ABCBCA
Each day when morning light would break
a tortoise rushed, (well…tried)
to his favorite sitting spot
in all the meadow-wide
haunted by a single thought
tormented by a lonely ache.
The tortoise loved a meadowlark
that perched a weathered stump
and sang at each sun’s rising.
The music caused his heart to jump
and chased away ‘bout everything
including each night’s dark.
In sparkling meadows all abloom
she’d whistle and she’d preen.
The tortoise scarce believed his eyes
but grass looked deeper green
and bluer seemed the morning skies
as heaven morphed to match her plume.
And for her part, the meadowlark
loved the tortoise too
who always brought her wild flowers
but what more could they do?
Together they’d spend daylight hours
then separate at dark.
In the field the butterflies
took notice of the two.
So when the day returned to night
they dreamt up what to do.
Oh, what they did was quite a sight,
but none would see until sunrise.
The tortoise woke and heaved a sigh
then plodded on his way
feeling slower than before
He sensed perhaps today
would be a little different, than before
He felt it, but knew not why.
As the light of day unfurled
a cheerful birdsong rang out clearer.
Slowly, a bird-sized cabin crept
and plodded ever nearer
to a weathered stump where wept
the happiest lark in all the world.
4/7/17
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