Send-Off Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

Today I met a butterfly,
while sitting, eating rhubarb pie.
A handsome one, though hardly shy
he landed and I wondered why,
perhaps he fancied rhubarb pie?
He sat, against the clear blue sky
then cocked his head and whispered 'Hi'.
I was about to ask him why
when I could see he missed an eye,
he noticed and let out a sigh
then told me he was swinging by
because he was a Gemini,
intent to groom and beautify
himself and every single guy
who shared his love for rhubarb pie.

I begged him now to clarify
what happened to the other eye.
He answered 'to declassify
would mean to oversimplify,
suffice it that the Lorelei
is reason that I lost one eye.
Up on that cliff she waved good-bye
when I was still a dragonfly.
Today I come to see you die
and when I watch you go I'll cry,
but only with the missing eye.