When The Bough Breaks

my garden gifts me, unwanted
on a grey summer day

grief a blue butterfly
whose fragile frame is broken

i am crushed for wings that will not fly
on the warmth of a golden slumber

or settle on the overhanging spikes
of sweet scented buddleia

i turn to nature to soothe my mind
to find answers where there are none

this is not about me nor you
it is about she who rocks the cradle

for she is unable to grow strength
to slay the everyday of her nemesis.

Reviews

[Stuart Munro]

I wrote a poem and song called a Butterfly is rescued , I worked at the national trust , a butterfly was trapped by a window , I put a drinking glass over it , and rescued it , and set it free , I’d captured its beauty , and for how ever long it lived , after , some human would enjoy his or her view of that butterfly
Your poem ,your butterfly is not so lucky , it’s beauty of its prime will not be shared , sadly ,

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Stuart for that lovely share of how you saved the butterfly. How wonderful to have worked for the national trust. It is a beautiful mourning. Make sure you enjoy it. All the best.

Chris

[Stuart Munro]

Thanks Chris , Pleased you enjoyed my poem song and I enjoyed your poem ,Good news I saw a. Hospital consultant this morning , and my 7 tumours have all shrunk by half , carrying on with chemo
Have a Great Day

[Chris Shaw]

That is great news Stuart. Yes, carry on with the poison. It is working. Just look at how I’ve spelled morning. Excuse my earlier errors. Thank you, the day is good so far.

[Stuart Munro]

Thanks Chris , haveca Great day

[Stuart Munro]

Morning Chris , Thursday , I spelt have wrong , its easily done , typing on here , have a great day ,

[Patricia]

what a wonderful piece of poetry, it flows so well and so heartfelt in its melodic melancholy, truly wonderful.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Patricia for your encouraging review. Hope all is good with you.

Chris

[Patricia]

yes all is very well, thank you and I hope with you as well. Have a beautiful day

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear poet. Have a great day yourself.

[Einstein Noodle]

we are all dealt cards in the game of life eh!? forced to play the worst of hands .. we have these smallish butterflies here that are the deepest blue it is almost black .. your speaker morns the loss of such a fragile life .. it reminds me of something from the Bible .. "Matt 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." ... i see Nature as a reflection of the One who made it .. filled with beauty, grace and the cycles of life and death .. fragile yet resilient .. like the Monarchs that fly all the way from California into Mexico every year .. where is the "answer" in that?? it is simply something mysterious inspiring awe .. sure, Science and study may dig up facts of one sort or another; but the root of it will always evade .. wonderful thought provoking poem says i! have read it several times ... each time it draws me in further .. her grief, it's wing broken .. Nature itself rocking the cradle .. the death side of things never ending .. i love every couplet .. great scene as her garden gifts her unwanted ..your skills are on display my friend ..i think this is very fine poetry .. needs a book to sing from ;)
E.

[Chris Shaw]

What a lovely review for this old poem, out for a breath of fresh air. Dear Mr E, thank you for reading it several times. That made me smile with satisfaction. So pleased you stopped by. Sending you an embrace across the waves.

Chris

[Einstein Noodle]

thanks Chris! back at ya! :)

[Sami Khalil]

A poem of concern for someone sick, perhaps a mother of sorts. The writer feels how fragile is our life and how our time is ticking too. Mother nature is providing some answers.
Very beautiful, sad and touching Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

I really like your thoughts here Sami. So very close to my own thinking. Many thanks for stopping by to check this poem out.

Chris

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! You are so welcome.

[shadrach hah]

Hi Chris, this is such a beautiful piece of poetry. It makes my emotions flow so easily. I can feel the pain in the words. The pain is deep and heartfelt. The visions are so strong, that your words paint within my mind. This is poetry at its best. Have a wonderful Monday. Hugs....Mike.

[Chris Shaw]

Your lovely review is so encouraging Mike and I thank you so much. Happy Monday to you.

read moreYour lovely review is so encouraging Mike and I thank you so much. Happy Monday to you.

Chris

[shadrach hah]

You are always welcome, Chris. Have a wonderful Monday. Hugs always....Mike.

[Melinda McQueen]

I like the way you set this up. I loved the scenes you planted in my mind.
Nature is a beauty and so is your poem.
Nicely penned.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Melinda for your lovely review. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Chris

[Patricia Wedel]

dearest Chris... this is by far... a most beautiful legacy where flowers grace a life where seasons embrace the memories. truly, Pat

[Chris Shaw]

Such a poetic response Pat, thank you for your beautiful thoughts.

Chris

[R.E. Ray]

Chris, your poem speaks the power of nature to color the mind gray and also the most brilliant colors. We can see the beauty and cruelty of nature here, but above all, an appreciation and love of nature and what she births (not for life but because that's nature). Thank goodness for gardens that gift us even the slightest colors that break from gray. So much richness in a few lines here, Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Robert, yes "Thank goodness for gardens that gift us even the slightest colours that break from gray". Really appreciate your insights here.

Chris

[R.E. Ray]

You're welcome, Chris.

[John the Baptist]

This one is somewhat mysterious. The speaker seems to be grieving, and the butterfly may be symbolic of that grief. There is a sense of lament, and I think the butterfly reflects a particular person who is in some way incapacitated, who is "unable to grow strength/ to slay the every day of her nemesis." It may be someone who is stricken with a debilitating illness. It is apparently a female, for the poem speaks of "her who rocks the cradle." There is apparently a deep bond between the speaker and this individual. Whoever she is, Godspeed to her.

[Chris Shaw]

You read me very well here John, very well indeed. Thank you for your review, especially your final line.

Chris

[Fairytale]

Truly amazing, this just taught me that a stanza can be made of two lines, there is no rule set. Beautiful word flow, and I love that the story flows smoothly, just amazing.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Fairytale for your lovely review. Please forgive my late response. All good wishes.

Chris

[Robert Trakofler]

Wow Chris I see this as such an parallel of the life we share. Sentience be damned, all life has similar trials and tribulations we as "thinking" beings place so much emphasis on the mundane in part because the normal toils of existence have been societally eradicated. We are hard wired for trials its in our dna its what kept us alive:) however the misdirection of this leads to drug abuse and other compulsive behaviors in a feeble attempt to soothe and stave the unnatural incongruous nature of how we are forced to live within the confines of society all manner of malady takes form. most of us are strong enough to muddle thru but some of us are to sensitive and ill equipped they are the ones that fall by the wayside with broken wings. This was what the bunny saw and he says this is one hell of a great write to make me see so much in so few lines!

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Bunny, please forgive me. I read your wonderful review and your thoughts two weeks ago and somehow I failed to respond to thank you straight away. I have just noticed. Sorry for the lateness of my thanks. So pleased you enjoyed the read and found so much in the lines.

Chris

[Robert Trakofler]

I wasn’t counting:)

[Chris Shaw]

I know you weren't Bunny, but I was annoyed with myself because I am usually more careful :)) I knew you would understand.

Chris