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Trillium
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0 posted 2001-04-06 10:26 PM


This year, no monarchs came to kiss the flowers,
or hang in clustered clouds, where lilacs grow.
I watched for them through sunny, summer hours,
but never saw their yellow wings, a-glow.
I remember years when butteflies
would carpet all the lawn, with waving wings
and when I walked, their flurry filled the skies.
What joy to me the very memory brings.
But, I'm afraid that sight I'll see no more,
for where they winter, south in Mexico,
the loggers cut down all the trees that bore
their eggs and with no other place to go,
they fell upon the ground and millions died.
I wonder, if in Heaven, angels cried?

Published by Contemporary Poets of America and Britain 1994

Betty Lou Hebert

© Copyright 2001 Betty Lou Hebert - All Rights Reserved
Janet Marie
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since 2000-01-22
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1 posted 2001-04-07 12:33 PM


I dont want to live in a world that doesnt have butterflies...
yes I do believe the angels cried.
thank you for this beautiful poem of sad truths...
and congrats on it being published...
I can see why.  
take care
jm





Brad Majors
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Georgia
2 posted 2001-04-07 12:39 PM


Beautiful piece!
Joyce Johnson
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3 posted 2001-04-07 01:09 AM


This is lovely. I have missed the butterflies.  I get ecstatic when I see one.  Joyce
Trillium
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4 posted 2001-04-07 01:55 AM


Janet Marie:  Thank you for your gift of butterflies in pictures!  Beautiful.  We saw just 1 monarch last year.  So sad.  We do have swallowtails and other kinds but the monarchs were my favorite.  I appreciate your comments.

Betty Lou Hebert

Trillium
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5 posted 2001-04-07 01:56 AM


Brad:  Thank you for commenting.  I appreciate it.

Betty Lou Hebert

Trillium
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6 posted 2001-04-07 01:57 AM


Thanks Joyce.  

Betty Lou Hebert

Sunshine
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7 posted 2001-04-07 08:03 AM


Ah, we've still not learned the ripple of rock to pond....

or how the breeze of a butterflies' wing sends the clouds scurrying...

Well done, Miss!

Marge Tindal
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8 posted 2001-04-07 10:07 AM


BettyLou~
This is such a beautiful piece of writing.
How gracefully you portrayed the lift of the monarch ...

I am joyed with monarchs across my lawn
and sit in quiet surrounding serenity
watching the beauty of their air-dance.

You certainly deserved to be published with this captivating piece.
Congratulations.
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com


VAS
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since 2000-11-16
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Oregon
9 posted 2001-04-07 10:38 AM


No, no, no, please tell me this is not based on fact!  I just watched a video of the wonderful migration and the clusters that hung with millions of monarchs in Mexico.

This would be too horribly sad and yes the angels would surely cry.  Powerfully woven, Trillium!

Trillium
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10 posted 2001-04-07 01:47 PM


Sunshine:  Thanks for reading and commenting. Butterflies are such beautiful additions to our world, it's tragic that people deliberatly kill them by destroying their eggs, or cutting down the trees they lay in. Makes a person sad!

Betty Lou Hebert

Trillium
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11 posted 2001-04-07 01:48 PM


Marge:  Accolades from you are treasured!

Betty Lou Hebert

Trillium
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12 posted 2001-04-07 01:51 PM


VAS:  I'm sorry to tell you this is true.  There is a forest in Mexico where millions of monarchs used to winter and lay their eggs.  Several years ago loggers cut down a large section of this forest and greatly reduced the number of monarchs.  Where we used to have clouds of them around, we saw just 1 last summer.  Made me cry.  Now the loggerts in that same area of Mexico are trying to get permission to cut down another forest where the butterflies have been wintering.  I am praying they are not allowed to.

Betty Lou Hebert

VAS
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since 2000-11-16
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Oregon
13 posted 2001-04-07 01:56 PM


I'm in hopes as well that they will not be allowed to do so.  They surely provide much more to ecology than the beauty in them we see.
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