The Beautiful Monarch Poem by Kathleen Reguindin

Singularly amazing
Beautiful creatures
Bold orange and black
Distinguishing features.

From branches of the gnarled oak trees
That served as a roost for the night
The morning sun slowly warms you up
Wings start to shiver, unfold and open wide... you take flight.

My heart lightens up as you come down to greet me
Wings flapping, you glide through the air
Your bright colours shimmer against the light
You soar close, teasingly touching my hair.

Like a child excited, my eyes follow you
As you flit and alight briefly
On purple mistflower, stem bent with your miniscule weight
You sip its freshness, nectar savory.

From many directions, other monarchs swoop down
For a playful game of fly and chase
You meet them halfway, up in circles you all go
Like ballerinas, you exhibit flexibility and grace.

I can sit in the garden and watch you play all day.
A tranquilizing and peaceful effect you have on me.
Beautiful Monarch, amazing creature.
Multiply in sheer numbers, oh hear me, Mother Nature.

Let me witness, even just once, skies turn into orange and black clouds,
See evergreen Mexican oyamel change into autumnal colours
Their branches drooping with monarch cluster formations.
May I be part of their epic migration, now an endangered phenomenon.