The Shadows of Butterflies

morning drive the cornfields shortened to stubble

wildcard spot a baseball cap for the scarecrow

early fall the black snake with the same curve as the stone

september we share our walk with the millipedes

thistle to thistle the shadows of butterflies departing

t

  emps

a

              ll

                         over

        the                                       place

makeshift memorial this is not how the trip should end

owl whoots around the fullness of the moon

snowstorm no one expecting the bluebird

morning hike a cottontail standing in the snow

ice crystal tethered to the briefness of winter

swift current the sycamores tinged with rust

hughes mountain a fog drifts into our silence

trail guide each black-eyed susan

snowy owl how many miles did I walk to get here

a white tail negotiating the riffles

female cardinal red enough to be a beacon in the cedar

spotting a gray fox every color in the crayon box

lunch time a butterfly in a field of thistle

a scraggly wildness in the milkweed blooms

no one knows how they got here gooseberries part of the fence

sunny umbrellas the gray headed coneflowers

it's not spring until the redbuds open

sleepy hollow the sudden gold of witches' butter

the purpleness of a prairie in september

rain clouds on our last walk together

Inspired by 2020's Natural Events Calendar

the value of x

september's passage the value of 'x' is imaginary
friday the 13th walmart out of lucky charms
common buckeye the eerie stillness of a summer sidewalk
humming refrigerator to the tune of something's broken

dust motes night offers the prospect of invisibility
rock bluff clouds removing the gold from your face
exit sign the door is another window of opportunity
train station fly briefly landing on the conductor's hat

early september the yellow rustle of old paper and faded cornstalks