Locked Room Mystery (redivivus ter)

 

The caterpillar   with shrivelled skin

in a tent of silk    was laid therein.

This crumpled thing,   shrunk like a shroud,

was laid in silk   white as a cloud.

The sons of men   stood round about

warding the worm   should not get out.

Three days they stood   with solemn face,

never eyes wavering   from that place.

Then did they open   that mute cocoon,

and stood amazed:   the worm was gone !

Then some believed   and some did doubt

how that the worm   could have got out.

Yet to the sky   in spiral rings

the new flew forth   on crystal wings.

~

[ For a tale of Paschal miracle:
Murphy Makes a Mitzvah ]

Locked Room Mystery (redivivus ter)

The caterpillar   with shrivelled skin

in a tent of silk    was laid therein.

This crumpled thing,   shrunk like a shroud,

was laid in silk   white as a cloud.

The sons of men   stood round about

warding the worm   should not get out.

Three days they stood   with solemn face,

never eyes wavering   from that place.

Then did they open   that mute cocoon,

and stood amazed:   the worm was gone !

Then some believed   and some did doubt

how that the worm   could have got out.

Yet to the sky   in spiral rings

the new flew forth   on crystal wings.

~

[ For a tale of Paschal miracle:
Murphy Makes a Mitzvah ]

.

Thine

Thine the sun, at stroke of noon;

thine the stars at night.

Thine the mystery of the moon;

thine the flame of flight.

Thine the moss amid the wood;

thine the earth and sky.

Thine the flower  and the bud

thou fluttering butterfly!

Bugs in Love

Out on the back deck, reading peacefully in the dappled sunlight, from time to time  laying down the book, and day-dreaming a bit.

Then all at once, from out the air,

two large and (what was that?) fast (faster!) large

(and ever larger, looming, as they rush   towards me    on)  

!bright!

butterflies,

stark yellow   and   bold black,

whirling in a rapid dance,

just inches from

my up-

turned face …

They come to hover above my head, in a frenzy of kineticized embrace.  I’m amazed, and alarmed by their quick proximity;  even a bit indignant at this, mm, public display of affection.  Get a room!

Then at once,     they       |   .    .     .  |     part   ……..

A brood of baby butterflies 

have just been gifted   expectation of life,

above my head.

They both fly off  to separate trees,   no doubt to catch their breath, and smoke a cigarette.

عزرائيل

"It is the evening of the day"

(words of a now-elderly philosopher)

Near the sunlit deck, towards sunset,

a butterfly  lands  on a leaf.

And I picture the Visitor

come set down beside me,

and give me a nod,

“It’s time.”

Smiling, I rise

and go with him.

[After dark, in the study, 

I was frightened  by a flying shadow,

which turned out to be a moth --

Michael versus Samael.]

[[ Foreshadowing  here. ]]