Every year about this time at the end of July
The swallowtail returns to grace my flower garden
Natures clockwork in a world with no thought of time
This year is different // half a tail gone // snack for a bird
Like a Rorschach print inked on only half a page
Still she flits and floats among the Zinnias mixing with the bees
Her handicap does not keep her from achieving her destiny
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Frank, at d’Verse, suggested we might write a seven line poem to celebrate the seventh Anniversary of d”Verse~Poets Pub. I saw this beautiful swallowtail on my flowers this week and took a number of photos. Here are three of the best. Come join us at d’verse poets: https://dversepoets.com
Roth Poetry 
This is so beautiful, Dwight!! 🙂
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Thank you Newrana!
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What a lovely visitor, and such a metaphor for resilience.
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Thank you! Yes, if I had not see the tail I would never have know she was injured.
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Nice last line about one’s handicaps not getting in the way of destiny. Those are beautiful butterflies.
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Love! LOVE! love!!!! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Great photos, and verse Dwight. Comforting to know that the butterfly calendar is still turning.
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Thank you! That is for sure!!
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I can’t believe this – I was so tempted to write about butterflies in our garden and went for the willows instead, and here you’ve not only given us a beauty of a poem but also some stunning photographs! I especially love the lines:
‘Natures clockwork in a world with no thought of time’
and
‘Like a Rorschach print inked on only half a page’.
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Thank you so much Kim. I appreciate your kind affirmation. Beauty becomes the muse. It is not hard to write with something this beautiful!. So glad you enjoyed the poem!!
Dwight
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BeautIfully written Dwight. Choosing a beautiful creature like the Swallowtail
who in spite of handicap fulfils the destiny. Great.
miriam
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Thank you. She was as beautiful as ever!
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Beautiful butterfly. I have a butterfly flying through my garden but doesn’t stop. My neighbor has the flowers that attract this butterfly. I’ll have to plant some flowers for the butterflies next year. Lovely poem, I like it. Dwight.
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Thank you Miriam. Some colorful flowers will bring the Butterflies and the hummingbirds! I appreciate your kind words.
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You’re welcome, Dwight. I have a hummingbird family as resident. My flowers are not enough to feed them, so they pretty much drink from my feeders.
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Beautiful Pictures
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Thank you!
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Just one lovely summer scene, beautifully written.!
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Thank you so much!
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Yes. I’ve seen them with “half a tail gone” here too
Happy you dropped by my blog Dwight
Much🌼love
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Ah, to be able to realize that destiny and still enjoy the usual experience of being, despite the deformities caused by nature is plain wonderful. That is a good lesson too.
-HA
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Thank you so much!
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Terrific metaphor, for as a disabled person (so Zen), I am the swallowtail. I could not get through a day without resilience.
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Thank you Glenn, My wife is the same way. resilience to live above the pain and still have a fulfilling life! Thank you for your comment.
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how wonderful that the swallowtail returned. Beautiful!
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It has come every year. I have a black one that comes also.
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Looks like either an Eatern Tiger Swallowtail or a Western Tiger Swallowtail- depending on where you are! Beautiful, Dwight!
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It is an eastern one I am in NC.
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There you go!
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Beautiful lesson here. We all have a handicap or two.
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Yes, a great example for all of us.
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Oh I love this. We have just seen our first swallowtails here in Spain. You capture their seemingly fragile beauty but perseverance to live on.
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Thanks you so much for reading and commenting.
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Oh my! LOVING the beauty of these illustrations. And these words most especially
“Like a Rorschach print inked on only half a page”
She is beautiful even with her disability — yes on that for many individuals as well as this beautiful part of nature!
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Thanks Lillian, it was very special to watch her go unhindered from flower to flower!
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The level of attention is amazing. Great work.
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Thank you so much!
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Keep flying even if your tail has been swallowed.
Beautiful
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Thank you. A lesson for all of us!
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Such beautiful photos and poem about the swallowtails return ~ Love that nature’s clockwork is bringing joy to all specially those with medical challenges ~
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Thanks Grace! It was beautiful to see.
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I think none of us get through this garden without a bite of some kind. The last line is powerful “Her handicap does not keep her from achieving her destiny.”
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