The Butterfly Wheel

A prose poem about a butterfly on a wheel, paralleling human experience.

Casually positioned
On the eternally spinning, gigantic wheel,
The colorful, yet sad butterfly
Emerges from its solemn cocoon
To tempt the world of predators
And seek happiness and truth.
The constant movement of the wheel
Jeopardizes the insect’s delicate balance,
Threatening this contrite traveler
With war-like upheavals and injury.
But the truth is the jovial trooper’s equity,
And the pre-destined butterfly
Must weather stormy blasts,
Perilous droughts, and grueling infamy
To circle the universe on this
Much-maligned, tragic course,
An eerily short life span
In timely rhythm and syncopated beat
To God’s divine intervention…