Safest Haven

Posted on July 11, 2021 by Linda Lee Lyberg

With every gust of wind
butterfly changes its
place on the willow. -Matsuo Bashō (1644 – 1694)

Lightning brightens a fiery crimson sky with
rolling black thunder shaking every
leafy tree with fury as a wayward gust
blows tinder dried leaves in a swirl of
dusty biting air as a rampant angry wind
throws a tattered and torn butterfly
Like confetti falling from the sky, it changes
the color of my cloudy view with its
rainbow hues stark, out of place
amidst this raging storm, landing on
a cloistered limb, struggling to find the
safest haven on the weeping willow

Author’s Note: A Golden Shovel poem written for Kerry @skyloverpoetry.The poem used is the haiku above by Matsuo Bashō. Below are the rules for a Golden Shovel:

Take a line (or lines) from a poem you admire.
Use each word in the line (or lines) as an end word in your poem.
Keep the end words in order.
Give credit to the poet who originally wrote the line (or lines).
The new poem does not have to be about the same subject as the poem that offers the end words.

Linda Lee Lyberg is a wife, mother, artist, published poet and author. She resides in Mesa, AZ with her husband Pete (aka The Big Viking) of 24 years and their latest rescue, Jackson “Jax” Lyberg. Linda writes various forms of poetry, as well as short stories. You can read more of her works at: charmedchaos.com and view anthologies containing her work here: Amazon Author Page