Happy Marigold

                Desert marigold

          yellow and bright

          hosted a butterfly

          who paused in flight.

           When the butterfly

           flew out of sight

           I gave thanks

           for this morning's delight.


     Just looking at a butterfly makes me happy.  What beautiful, delicate creatures!  Butterflies belong to the Lepidoptera order, which means they have four scaled wings--but you'd need a magnifying glass to see the scales.  I think this butterfly is a hairstreak, probably the very common Gray Hairstreak, part of the gossamer-wing family, which can be seen in southern Arizona year round.
     If you were a butterfly, you'd always be smiling.  What colors would you be?  Where would you travel?  Can you write a poem today from the view point of a butterfly?  This is called a persona poem.  You take on the personality, or become the person (the butterfly) of the poem.  Think about the four stages of your life--eggs, emergent larva or caterpillar, cocoon, and winged butterfly.  Have fun writing and share your creations.