Late November and heavy
sky just holding
off the rain so that the barn swallow can fly
carrying
so gently on its back
a tiny fairy girl I once knew
as a little one
running along with her sisters on a country road and in the school house lane
orchards on one side, towering evergreens sweeping us kindly with low branches as we played and imagined our stories over and over again using our own words and changing very little when they were told again because of the simple beautiful comfort of knowing each other
today the rain just held
back its tears long enough
for the songs
to make us smile once more and make some feel
the reaching back
to gathering together today for the sake of family, friends and art
a silver butterfly as a spirit
today to connect
with the symbolic appreciation of her monarch of familiar earthy colours
to take the time
to look for the butterflies and let the milkweed grow enough
at the side of the road and in the rough garden patch
all the while thinking that she was right
in wishing and hoping and expecting
that we need to take better care of each other
barn swallows and butterflies and giving each other the chance
peace, our only chance
forever this is home
An Embarrassment of Freedom 