Wings

I see a butterfly going higher than she can.

Fluttering up and toward a darkening cloud,

she dances around its shapeless border, her golden wing looks darker.

She hums, swishes her wings, pauses and pecks at the cloud…

a few drizzles from it, her wings get drenched.

She hovers to another part, doesn’t nudge it this time;  it feels so much colder.

She grabs with her wing, a holding space; and snuggles as the cloud wraps her in.

She peeps, pulls back in, peeps again and pulls back, quickly into the cloud;

the sights unfamiliar, the height dizzy, the air scentless.

Golden streaks fly off a bright day star; to her, it is melting honey.

Her frail body feels shivers of heat, wings dry in a trice.

She sways, makes her own path in moving cloud to cloud; Oh! What a dance.

She has strayed this far, away from the buds, flowers, barns and the woods,  
now, seeing nothing and shivering some more, she just keeps on, cloud to cloud. 

When in doubt, despair, in solitude, and when in peace, just close your eyes;

Watch her, see this beauty glide and cut through the cold air.
Up, up towards a cloud, towards somewhere, to maybe nowhere and yet, everywhere.
Watch her change as she hops clouds, drinks rain, chases the light, slides down a rainbow!

See her fears, her delight as she flits through shade and sunlight,

her courage, and her bigness despite her delicate form.

She makes me look beyond, and my life smiles!

~ Sowmya Sunderarajan

Listen to 'Wings' 

Sowmya is a rehab counselor during daylight 
and a life searcher through nightlight,
with solace from words.