The Butterbird Affair Poem by Bobbie Othigo

A stranger’s smile never was sweeter
Or timely as yours was,
I had to smile back,
Every force beyond
And beneath the joyous heavens
Pushed me to this friendship,
After a day you had become
That friend I’d known
All my life,
You said unto me,
Be ye my gentle fiery butterfly,
And I your forever faithful bird,
The adventure had been born.
We flew together to far away skies,
We danced to the songs,
Of rain and of thunder,
Twirled, swirled, and waltzed,
We laughed long and loud,
You were the only world
That I desired,
Rested on the soft white cloud,
I gave you my eternal word,
I would be steadfast,
Enduring in all love and woe,
You clasped my hand tight,
Promised your faithfulness would last
Even in the most moonless, starless night,
You would be my champion
In every war.

Friend, you now depart,
Sever all chords,
Your affections are detached,
With the wind they go blowing
To be diluted in airs vast
And turn into nothingness,
In tears I summon the bee,
Mercy, sting me oh bee, I say,
But his sting I felt too mild,
Unable to drive away pain
Of a lost and loved friend,
Stranger, you came to steal my loves,
Friend, you left and crashed my heart.
Though in sorrow resounding,
And echoing,
What must I do but bid thee
Your farewell,
For the love of you,
And the health of me,
Fare well, fare well my friend,
These tears have ceased in their cascade.

In my heart of hearts,
I cannot foretell
Whether and when you may return,
And be mine again,
I have planted a fair garden, thus,
In this hope,
Sought flowers from all
Corners of this enchanted earth,
Both the rare and the common,
Journeyed far to the blue horizons,
Brought them to my fair garden,
Tended them to grow with the grass,
They flourish well and strong,
As long as they do,
So does all friendship,
And all lovers do flourish,
Their bliss for-ever blessed,
Therein I’ve placed a green bench,
Whereupon I dream you shall
Once more return to sit,
To remember us,
Our days in the sunny blue skies,
When we twirled, swirled, and waltzed,
And laughed aloud,
Pray, all the birds fly back,
All the butterflies follow in kind suit,
Be the butterbird once more,
They are one in honest friendship,
In holy love they are one,
The butterbird.