Like a Drunken Butterfly

~ odd things happen during the Santa Ana winds ~

“It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch” Raymond Chandler

 

A blistering summer afternoon

 scented of peaches,

                 plump with fragrance,

sweetening the yesterday’s sweeping the shores of my eyelids…

The day should be ripe with possibilities

 

So, why do I feel anxious…misplaced…perhaps a bit “out of sorts”?

 

The glittering sun shares a wink, as if he holds the secret

but surely the wind must know,

this dry, hot wind, born in the desert

breathing through a pastel sky

as restless as the unspoken words

playing hide and seek with the hillflowers,

                   withering in the July heat…

 

And stronger still

as the trees moan and the howl rises

teasing my hair, tickling my cheek,

rustling my wings…

                  and at once I’m spinning

 as uncontrolled as the zephyr

 twirling, twisting

 wild,

                                 feral, untamed

                                and unable to focus

                  yet content in my vertigo

flying towards the unknown

like a drunken butterfly heading to its next fermented flower

 

Yes, let the summer air set me free…

for beautiful paths cannot be discovered without getting a little lost

Author's Note

art ~ Lauri Blank
poetry ~ MsJewel

Reviews

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Julie... a butterfly out of control... high on the scent of peach snappes... the day ripe with possibillities. I have been in a peach orchard ... where heaven was in the air with rustling wings... wild and untamed.. flying to my next fermented flower. A breathless poem that settled in my heart.
truly, Pat

[MsJewel]

Your lovely comments always leave me with a smile :) Julie

[Patricia Wedel]

"Beautiful paths cannot be discovered without feeling a little lost."
I miss your gift in soft lullabies of wind and sunshine... feeling the raindrops
upon my heart... cool and with abiding love. truly, Pat

[Bhaarath Ramesh]

This is a lovely poem. It made feel like I was in the setting painted by the words and in fact I think I got a little lost out of mesmerism. And I particularly second and love the spirit of my poem - get lost to find yourself. And the lines - 'twirling,twisting wild, feral, untamed and unable to focus' were genius as my offsetting the words I felt what you were supposed to have felt from the direction translation of the words. Beautiful. Poems like these reiterate the idea that poetry is the most beautiful form of the written word. Thank you.

[‘Thoughts In Time..]

Not all those who wander are lost- wonderful words- yes sometimes we need to just be and follow the directions given by the heart and spirit to truly walk the right path- trusting feeling knowing it just is- love it🌹

[Travis Gibson (poetic h..]

This is some beautiful poetry... expression I envy. "And unable to focus/ yet content in my vertigo," many great lines here, but this is my favorite. Awesome write!

[MsJewel]

Thank you for taking the time to read and leave a lovely comment. I look forward to reading your poetry :) julie

[Rama Masri]

Every butterfly starts with starvation, and suffering, but once they evolve they are as beautiful as ever and are as free as they ever was. Nice work =)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we get lost in order to be found---and butterflies are free, or they die...
beautifully expressed,
j.

[Beccy]

The title is a delight, the poem beautifully wrought and the last line is simply wonderful.

'Tis November, dull and dab on this side of the pond, which it will be for weeks and weeks now, but your poem shone the light of summer on me.

Much enjoyed. Beccy.

[emmajoy]

Seems you carry people along that beautiful path.. hoping that- for their sakes, they get lost just now and again. They share a touch or few of those ecstati sights and emotions when watching, studying are mesmerised by that you.. drunken butterly - . sated.. divine. You write with a magic pen..

[Ashwin Shanker]

The art work is MIndblowing and the poem ecstatically captures the mood of the setting and transports us to another world, our imaginations nudged further with the beautiful art,.

[AYVID N]

Thank you for such a beautiful reading experience. Breathtaking, calming and so full of insight.