I made the mistake
Of peering through your window
In that cold gray darkness
I stole glimpses of silhouettes
Heap of blankets
piled
in one corner of the bed
Layers of worn clothes
draped
over the wingback
Canvases pristinely blank
leaned
against the wall
Memorably unfamiliar
I made the mistake
Of peering into memory’s window
The gray walls dissipated into swaying stalks of tall green grass
The roof opened to a bursting bright warm light
The air swelled with lavender’s sweetness
Dozens of Monarch butterflies fluttered overhead
Lost in the million mile gaze
Technicolor visions of times past
Collaged through my mind
Limp sweaty limbs
piled
lovingly on top of each other
Bleeding hearts
draped
safely in warmth of red velvet
Ambitious dreams
leaned
against protective pillars of lovers embrace
Ten thousand milliseconds lapsed
The window suddenly forced shut
A sudden swift wind
Blew back the ashen gray walls
The darkness resettled on the silhouettes
Only…to my delight
One Monarch escaped
Encircled me in a flight of frenzy
scarlet, amber and midnight hues
streamed a ribbon in its wake
Tired of its taunting haunt
It finally settled softly on the tip of my nose
All its splendor before me
Distorted and blurred
Memorably familiar
Disillusioned once again
I waved it away
Pulled up my collar as the shield against the wind
And continued heading North in the darkness
