gary just brought
a large,  dying
   moth to me
scales, yes, all on wing, and
false eye to scare
the predators

wingspan good four inch



death does not fear
eyes
and so

moth had
   fulfilled its duty
worm, cocoon, flight, procreation,
death

as I was getting the photos
of the
dead for the may 2005 addition
0.7 by 1.05 inches only


NOT JUST NUMBERS
project
in my hand

a dying butterfly
other hand, collecting dead faces
had not fulfilled duty — not these baby

faces
worm, yes
   cocoon, perhaps, no

never found life
    flight
never to procreate unless
by error

never to see the process
of the same in their own children's eye


no
photos of women this
month  the first month ever
no women

the moth is dead
died much more gracefully
in my hand
   
     sputtered, front legs fell
the rightful end to
the righteous life of a
moth

dead


the picture of the boys are dead
will remain young forever
horrid death, no grace, no
     hand to
hold its collapsing body.

memorial day
only for the families of
the dead.

may 30, 2005
©lisbethwest








t h o u s a n d s   o f   p o e t s ,  onevoice

not just numbers project

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