Night Wings

The shore is a nest of dark butterflies,
their wings the lake's reflections of the sky.
Star-mottled, surging from the darkening earth,
they spread vast fragile wings, and climb.

We spoke, our promises frail as blown leaves
in the broad air of autumn.  We never slept
on drifting waves, never read poetry
under a spring moon; we will not walk
that shore again.

Yet I look at the moon
swinging huge and hollow round its axis,
and hear the heavy wind beats of butterflies
sweeping across the midnight void.

by Kelly Vaughan
November (?) 1997

back to Departure:
Original Poems by Kelly Vaughan