Haiku My Heart ~ Small Miracles

FEBRUARY 26, 2016

A small miracle,
when you take the time to look...
life is wonder-filled.

\*\*\*\*\*

This past week, I was walking through my yard with the garden wizard who helps me take care of this precious patch of land that I live on, surrounded by city concrete.
We stopped at the center mound in the front yard where it appeared that the main bush had died. I asked him if it was indeed dead? He said lets see, and bent down to cut one of its many branches to choose from. I then bent down to pick it up and simultaneously saw the green wood inside the outer dead wood (a sign that there is still life in this plant) but felt something slimy, gooey and moving in the palm of my hand. When I looked and saw the large bug that I was now holding, I squealed and threw the branch down. Further inspection revealed that it was a butterfly, who at that very moment, was attempting to emerge from its Winter cocoon.
I was devastated. How could this happen? This branch from all the other branches? My hand going right to the emerging butterfly, which had been so craftily camouflaged? It looked as if I had crushed it, as there was a large golden honey looking excretion at the bottom of the cracked chrysalis. No conversation on karma and attachment could ease the grief in my heart.
I looked deep for some sort of solace of being at this exact moment in time and being a part of destroying something so fragile and beautiful. I went out periodically throughout the rest of the afternoon to see if there was any changes... there was not.
Then, just as the sun was setting and I was taking the dogs for their evening walk, I checked one last time. What I saw was amazing. The butterfly was continuing its emergence... I felt like I was witnessing a miracle. Inside me. Outside me.
The next morning, with the rising sun, I went back out and the Pipevine Swallowtail was fully emerged and had moved to another part of the plant. New life was pumping through its crumpled wings with the warmth of the February sun.

When I came back from my morning walk... he was gone.
And the empty chrysalis remained...
a reminder of this small miracle that happened,
right in the palm of my hand...

*****

For more Friday haiku my heart
please visit Rebecca and other poets
at recuerda mi corazon