When a butterfly flaps its wings —

A delicate motion it is,

Yet, when this butterfly flaps its wings

 — A change, can be seen —

A sibling is born,

A brother she says,

He grows through his life,

Yet, a butterfly flaps its wings.

A sibling is born —

You go to greet your brother,

“Meet your sister,” she says —

You knew for sure,

A mistake was made,

A butterfly flaps its wings.

You wait for the announcement,

A long wait it is —

A boy or a girl,

For this is all you know —

Until she comes home,

Tears track her face,

She tries to smile despite them,

A butterfly flaps its wings.

You stand at the door,

No announcement awaits,

Not of a boy or a girl

No smile with tear tracks,

Men in blue and in black,

An announcement is made.

“She’s not coming home,” 

A butterfly flaps its wings

You don’t know what went wrong, 

Was it the rock you threw in the creek

The ripples it made,

The first ring,

And then, the last

You think of the butterfly,

The one you saw at the creek,

The flap of its wings,

The delicate motion,

Is a juxtaposition,

To the change, 

That it brings.