Poem: Alteration

 

Alteration

 

mourning cloak

on daybreak gravel,

 

royal in the lithe of light,

indispensable,

 

the pebbles below now precious,

perch for this supernal

 

flaunt.

 

no other moment

of my lean, grey stride

 

touched by such languid 

inexpressible wings:

 

such rich purple,

aureate, depthless.

 

none of me,

beyond this lucky token,

 

ever to measure

so brazen with life.

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5/28/24 ... 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphalis_antiopa

1/17 ... "lithe of light" replaces "lithe light"