My Butterfly Poem by Zoe Guillory

I raised my face to the warmth.
But the sun always shines brightest
just before a storm.
And I was allowed a laugh: a single laugh-
a spark of happiness-
before the clouds moved in
and covered my only friend.
I could see a faint yellow light
shining on behind the merciless clouds.
But the rain came and washed my smile away.
And the sun was gone.
The only thing to light my path
was the lightning that threatened
my every step.
And as soon as I could see where I needed to be,
thunder clapped and threw me off my feet.
Pointed me in a new direction.
Numbed my ears
so that the only sound loud enough
for me to hear
was the torrent of rain around me.
And my skipping heart.
Like a butterfly trapped in a jar
and all she wanted was to get out,
but no matter how hard she flapped her wings,
and no matter where she hit on the sides
of her lonely prison,
she could not escape.
But my butterfly will never give up.