Noah's Butterflies

A RAVEN AND A DOVE
SENT BY NOAH OUT
TO CHECK THE WATER'S EBBING

ONE STAYED
THE OTHER RETURNED
OLIVE BRANCHES BEARING

SO NOAH SENT THE ANIMALS OUT

TWO BY TWO HE SENT THEM
THE LAST RELEASED
WAS FROM A BOX
WHERE TWO CATERPILLARS HAD LAIN
SLEEPING

OUT FLEW TWO BUTTERFLIES
RAINBOW COLORED DAINTY

THEIR FLIGHT LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN HOPPING
THEY FLEW TO WHERE NOAH STOOD
HIS ARM AROUND HIS LOVED ONE
AND PERCHED UPON EXTENDED FINGERS

NOAH WAS MOVED TO SAY
ALL, ALL IS NEW
THE RAINBOW THAT ARCS
THE STILL WET EARTH
IS GOD'S SIGN OF PEACE
AFTER STORM

BUT THE BUTTERFLY SAYS
THAT LIFE CAN BE BEAUTIFUL
THAT LOVE TRANSFORMS

WITH THAT THE BUTTERFLIES FLEW
HIS TO HER SHOULDER
HERS TO HIS

AND SO BEJEWELED
THEY DESCENDED TO A NEW LAND
A LAND WHERE HISTORY HELD NO SWAY
A LAND FULL OF PROMISE

WHERE LIONS AND TIGERS SLEPT AT PEACE
AND THE DRAGONS' ROAR
WAS MUSIC TO THE EARS

FRANK A VOLLMER