All That's Left~

Butterfly haunts me

flutters by in the dark of night

when the smoke cleared

all that was left was a still photograph

no breath to be had, no words to be spoken

perched upon my mind where no one can see

all the secrets that taunt me

left behind in your spirit 

like an erratic zephyr, they twist my head

nothing sacred in how you fled the atmosphere

I oft wonder have you found that freedom

as you floated from this earth

markings on the sky of colorless clues

the painted scenery still not clear

all that's left to do is exhale poetry

Author's Note

For my sweet sister Lee...

Reviews

[Sami Khalil]

A very sad but an ode to your sweet butterfly sister who left the torment of our mundane world and all the suffering in it to find freedom from its prison and hopefully her oasis of love on the zephyrs of blue wonder. May she find her peace...Pen on...:)

[Frieda P]

Ah Sami, love 'oasis of love on the zephrys of blue wonder'...that's a poem in itself, thank you muchly ;-)

[Sami Khalil]

I do too...You are welcome muchly...:)

[lee von cleef]

and look tonight to the sky , see Venus rise....

[Frieda P]

That was Lee, thanks lee....

[BrownEyedWriter]

It's a wonderful poem. It reminds me of Shelley's 'Skylark'. I hope your sister can see this, wherever she is. She'd be proud. :)
One can interpret the the butterfly also as a lover who has left one "behind" in search of his "freedom". I, personally, prefer the second one. In the second case, the entire poem is a rumination on the past romantic relationship, and a speculation on whether the one who left you for their vision has finally found what they were searching for, whether abandoning you was really worth it.

[Frieda P]

Wow thank you BEW, had to look that one up as I wasn't familiar with it, you humble me, like your interpretation also, poetry is in the eye of the beholder. :-)

[BrownEyedWriter]

You're most welcome! :)

[kublakhan27]

I don't believe you told me about this piece before...I wish I'd seen it earlier, I think this is one of your most purely poetic odes to her...the second stanza really tore my heart out, but I think I started losing it when I got to the butterfly fluttering between the stanzas...I probably won't read another poem tonight, I'm overwhelmed by emotion right now...painful, beautiful, poetic...

[Frieda P]

Awh Steve, you're so sweet to say how much this affected you, thanks for being you my dear friend....enjoy your holiday! x

[kublakhan27]

And thank you for the same, Frieda :) I'll do my best xo

[redflutterby]

I think this is one of my favorite poems of yours... So sad but beautiful hun. Every line is a tribute to her.. Thank you for sharing it with us....xo

[Frieda P]

Happy to share my sis's memory with you Red, thanks so much my sweet friend. xo

[Rhiti Bose]

Beautiful and haunting.... you are right, "all that's left to do is exhale poetry". May she find peace.

[Frieda P]

I hope so, thanks for your kind thoughts Rhiti...

[Clockwork]

I remember the story of your sister from quite sometime ago...this one really sticks with me given some of the experiences I've had that you've read about. These lines really resonated with me, and I found myself soberly nodding: "all that was left was a still photograph/no breath to be had, no words to be spoken." How those memories of those times frozen in history visit us like that nighttime butterfly you describe here...

[Frieda P]

I'm sorry you can relate so intimately with this one, thanks for your thoughts Clockwork.

[Sorry Infamous]

This was so sadly beautiful. Wonderfully written. Thank you for sharing such an intimate poem.

[Frieda P]

Thanks so much for your visit and review, much appreciated.

[Robbie~xoxo~]

This makes my heart hurt, Frieda... the last stanza truly brought tears to my heart...

Your sister Lee, would be so proud of you, for beautifully encapsulating her memory this way...

Endearing write! Going into my faves~xoxo~

"I oft wonder have you found that freedom

as you floated from this earth

markings on the sky of colorless clues

the painted scenery still not clear

all that's left to do is exhale poetry" ~ A poignant delicate piece.~xoxo~

[Frieda P]

Thanks so much my sweet friend, I truly hope she's smiling down at us right now, able to see all the people that read this and thought of her. xo

[Broken Wings]

So beautiful and touching. A very heart-felt write and so relateable. I am sorry for your pain and loss, it's one that resonates with me.

[Frieda P]

Thanks for pausing on my page Broken Wings, sorry if this resonates with you, can only mean one thing, sadly. Much appreciate your review.

[Broken Wings]

And I too am sorry that you had the inspiration for such words.