What the Butterfly Is Thinking

Alicia Ostriker WhattheButterfly Is Thinking Not a narcissist like me, it is not thinking about extending its brief life Or the serenade of iridescent blue patches on its fluttering wings Or the war. Or any of the other wars. Or the moon afloat on winter water. I am putting money on this. I am confident. The motions of many creatures appear random But are not? My husband says cows and bees — Cows and bees are swimming in his mouth Cows browsing around in two sluttish dimensions, bees in three or four Among the savage perfumes, scavenging for the tastiest weeds strewn here and there Randomly he says. The biggest nourishment bang for a bite, or sweet for a single suck Is why they never ever Form straight lines. Really? In the lavender bush fifty seething bees, a dressy graduating class, lifting Hovering descending & flitting to another flower entirely. Intentionally? Please come Back, every iridescent blue-winged thing. Girls just want to have fun, We want to be pistil-packing mamas one more time again. FeministStudies38, no. 3 (Fall 2012). © 2012 by Feminist Studies, Inc. 780

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