Feeling My Wings

It’s July again.
Monsoon rains drenching and flooding streets.
Hummingbirds zipping and fighting over feeders.
The Swallowtail butterflies
sailing on breezes
and
memories
of those final days and hours
waiting and watching
holding on and letting go
letting go
and holding on
wanting it to be over
not wanting it to be the end
and the butterflies
so plentiful that year
a near constant parade
creating a circle of protection
in yellow and black and indigo blue.
When the waiting was over
and all the ties
unbound
I watched as you dropped the anchor
to sail away into a summer breeze
leaving the Swallowtails
yearly reminders
of life and death
of life and love
of life
and life that comes forth from life
of death
and the emptiness that is left behind
of love
a spring filling that emptiness
pumping life into
the fragile wings
of
butterflies.