Butterfly

Look at the butterfly,
    how truly fragile it is
touch its wings, disturb their covering
    its beauty compels you
you destroy it
if it can't fly
it Will die.

Butterflies flutter by
Catching the eye with their bright colours
    they flit from place to place
and collectors, they marvel
they whisper ‘Oh, I want one of those’
        the question is why?

I feel like a butterfly
    learning to fly
I am only one, fluttering about
    trying to avoid the collectors
and their desire to
collect me, contain me, trap me, cage me,
display me, possess me
        the question is why?

I fear someday
someone is going to touch my wings
and I will die

© 1999 Moonfyre