Little Butterfly (For Helen) Poem by JAMES T. ADAIR

Little butterfly
You fly so softly
You flutter your wings twice
In the blink of an eye
And catch a nuance of the Summer breeze
Carrying you from the colts in the meadow
To your favorite Dogwood trees
You float up, the air tilts you
I admire your beauty as you fly near
Butterfly, you fly so softly
when you watch the children smile and play
You make my heart skip a beat
and then it settles down
and I feel blessed with serenity
With such unearthly grace and dignity
Butterfly, you fly so softly
I fall in love with you a thousand times
Then you smile at me
With your perfect pearly smile
and I wish I could change shape
and fly by your side
Butterfly, you fly so softly
I imagine your heartfelt hugs in flight
As you we fly toward the light
You land on my shoulder
and look up at me
I see love in your pretty brown eyes
Your spirit is always here with me I realize
and then you smile and twitch your wings
and fly but your love with us does ever stay
Butterfly, you fly so softly
With love that touches so many hearts
Your graceful love is never far
You’re still my beautiful star
and in dreams we share our lives
these humble earthly lives
and make the best of life as you showed us how
I know somehow you always send your kisses
And I know you would never would abandon me
Butterfly, you fly so softly
that sometimes my heart breaks when you're away
I wait on the bench in the garden for you
but you come and go too quickly
and the wait for your return feels forever
Butterfly, you fly so softly
How I know somehow we will share more moments
But I dare not say
For fear you will fly away
As you fly in and out of memory
I sometimes cry and pray
But end up smiling because of you
Your graceful magic is never broken
And because of your love, my heart shall not grow cold

© James T. Adair