Photography by Marianne Dessis … Music, Smoldering, by Kai Engel
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“ Butterfly, Butterfly ”
– fluttering bye –
Butterfly, butterfly
Leisurely floating
Dressing the sky,
Fitfully dancing
Shifted by currents
In breezes on high,
Ever so pleasing
You thus advent
Gently trapezing,
Yet softly you fly…
Butterfly, butterfly
Fluttering bye
Your beauty defies,
Wonder exemplified
On wings so grand,
And of such splendour
To make rainbows pale,
In light of your colours…
Butterfly, butterfly
When summer is low
Too soon you must go,
So where will you fly
To bring life elsewhere,
That offers but sorrow
When you leave our sky,
Butterfly, butterfly
Alas but oh why,
Must your beauty then die!
written in Grasse, Fr. July 18, 2005
edited in Sweetsburg, Ca. May 31, 2020
© Jean-Jacques Fournier
A Butterfly ode to they who diligently
work to prevent the extinction of
fellow creature, the Lepidoptera…
Poetry on a Canapé 
Enjoyed this.. also the lovely photography by Marianne.
Sent from my iPad
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Thanks Robin… always a great pleasure and treat, to see these very beautiful creations of nature arrive, to confirm Summer is upon us, for at least to me, it being the most human of seasons. Jean-Jacques
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Fabulous recitation, Jean-Jacques. Marianne’s photography is stellar and brings out the feeling of being in a field surrounded by butterflies! Butterflies remind me of fleeting moments, of yesterday’s memories and tomorrow’s possibilities. But today is magic. Carpe diem!
A fleeting moment, at once says it all, of one of the most beautiful creatures on our planet. However who can ever forget, if but for one, the image of that colourful monarch, and for that matter all the others tho less prolific, surely as memorable… Yet as you say, alas, they are but a fleeting moment of life. Long live today’s magic, Rebecca…! Jean-Jacques
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Such a poignant ending to mark the time when beauty must leave us. Those butterfly moments are fleeting and precious, as your poem reminds us to first observe and then cherish them.
Dear Liz, thank you again for your always welcome observations and touching cements. As to the poignant ending, I echo my response to Paulette Mahurin, and can but add that oood or great minds think alike!
You’re welcome, Jean-Jacques! Great minds do indeed think alike.
A most poignant ending on the death of beauty that can be taken on multiple levels. A great poem. Beautiful photos by Marianne.
Thank you Paulette…It is always a bit difficult to realize that nothing lasts forever and everything has its limit, most especially when the subject is as beautiful and delicate as a butterfly. Thus so when I wrote, the ending, my reflection could but be gentle and a poignant description the only way. Your kindly comment confirms just that, and I thank for your observation.