My Uncle sleeps <br />with pursed lips <br /> <br />as if kissed <br />by a dream. <br /> <br />Perched upon this kiss <br />a butterfly sits <br /> <br />as if an Uncle's lips <br />were the most natural <br /> <br />place for a butterfly <br />to rest <br /> <br />or as if <br />it were an illustration <br /> <br />of the soul <br />(a symbol) <br /> <br />in a magical book <br />that explained such things. <br /> <br />Outside the trees <br />breathe gently <br /> <br />inhaling & exhaling <br />a soft whisper of wind. <br /> <br />Bees carve a map <br />out of the air <br /> <br />for other bees to see. <br /> <br />Out on a limb <br />two birds sit & chit chat. <br /> <br />A fox(unseen) <br />passes by <br /> <br />as if it had never <br />been. <br /> <br />A big big bug <br />topples off the top <br /> <br />of a tiny stone <br />onto its back <br /> <br />wriggling its arms & legs <br />as if it were trying to swim <br /> <br />through the currents <br />of its fear. <br /> <br />One of the gossiping birds <br />sees him as a tasty treat. <br /> <br />Eats him. <br /> <br />Inside the house's <br />El Greco shadows <br /> <br />a kitten <br />exploring the newness <br /> <br />of the world it finds <br />itself in <br /> <br />jumps onto <br />the sleeping statue <br /> <br />of an Uncle <br />with a butterfly <br /> <br />perched upon <br />its lips. <br /> <br />Kitten tumbles ooops <br />into my Uncle's crotch <br /> <br />before climbing the moutainside <br />that is his chest. <br /> <br />Takes a swipe <br />at the soul <br /> <br />pretending to be <br />a butterfly <br /> <br />just as my Uncle <br />awakens to this reality <br /> <br />& his soul <br />flits just <br /> <br />out of reach <br /> <br />between the fireplace <br />& the mantlepeice.<br /><br />Dónall Dempsey<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-soul-goes-for-a-stroll-for-scarlett/
