Eagle

Eagle

O Mighty Eagle

You may not know
That you set my heart soaring

When I get fed up with platitude
You show me the altitude

I have seen you
Perched on rocky cliffs
overlooking the Grand Canyon
basking in the golden rays of sleepy sun
which weave magic into fabric of clouds
where time has carved the red earth
into timeless brazen shapes
I have seen your spiraling ascent
on invisible columns of hot air

I have seen you
Gracefully dogging annoying crows
I have seen your romantic dance
Closing in at jet speeds
To your flight mate
Breaking of just in time
After a gentle touch

I have seen your swooping dive
In ten seconds
From heaven to abyss
To sink you beak into rotting flesh

Neither my sympathy for your kill
Nor your resounding cry
which is perhaps too shrill
No
nothing takes a bit from the grace of your extended wings
Ready to soar
Once more
When the clouds sprout
Where suspended garlands of droplets
Wait for opportune moments
To form a rainbow

You see
We are all opportunist
Driven by our needs
But should it really hook us to the ground
To crawl
Throughout our lives
Caring for next day’s meal
Next season’s nest
When it is so much fun
To try to reach sun
To soar
Into azure sky
Glide on the currents of time

Hang on
I’m coming!

The flower and butterflies

Deep in the woods a strange flower bloomed. The sun shone on its petals resplendent in vivid colors. The winds carried its sweet scent all over. The butterflies woke up from their dream world. They all frolicked around the wild gathering nectar from the flowers.

A butterfly followed the scent and reached the strange flower.
“May I taste a little nectar that you have cooked”? Asked the butterfly
The flower said “You are welcome my dear. Drink your fill while I shower your wings with pollen that I need to send across to other flower”.
“I’m not your house maid”..
“No free lunch..its give and take”.
“You are selfish..you are fake” said the butterfly and flew away.

The flower smiled and waved a good bye. Soon another butterfly came by.
“Have you got some honey”?
“Come on in.. honey”.
The butterfly tasted the nectar and liked it. The flower caressed its wings ..they were soon in love. The butterfly asked
“Would you always be there when I need?”
“If I do how would I turn into seed?”
“but you said you love me..”
“I do but that love can’t kill me.. I got to shrink into a seed”
“Damn liar..soon you would burn in fire”..The butterfly flapped its thin wings in anger and flew away.

The flower shrugged the dew from its petal. It was sad but it hardly mattered.
Another butterfly came by..
“I’m drawn by an irresistible scent”
“Come on in.. before I’m all spent”
“Wow I like the tatse”
“Enjoy yourself..its all yours..what’s the haste”
The butterfly took a sip and said..
“Can you please close the door”
“If I do I’m flower no more”
“but you said you are all mine”
“Yes I’m but can’t you let me shine”
“You cheat..wither in heat”

The flower was really sad. Such a short life and how could it go so bad. The sun was scorching its petals..testing its mettle. The flower cried.

Then came a butterfly and asked the flower
“Don’t cry. Smile”
“I’ll but can you stay for a while”
“What have you got for me”
“little nectar..honey”

The butterfly came in and sipped little nectar left in the flower. Then it sat still..they talked. The flower told the story of other butterflies. The butterfly lent a sympathetic ear. The flower now had no fear.

It said “I told truth and was called a crook.”
The butterfly laughed and laughed and laughed.
“You fool..If butterflies could stand your truth they wouldn’t be butterflies”.
“But I can’t dish out lies”

They were friends..Butterfly stayed overnight..snugged in cozy little flower. As the morning came the flower started to feel weak. Its petals started to give way. It shrunk and shrunk into an ugly little crumpled heap. The butterfly wasn’t ready to lose such a precious friend.
“Do you need a helping hand?”
“No..this is my end”

But that was not to be..The flower had been touched by the flying spirit of butterfly. Soon it turned into a seed and the seed had tiny hairy wings. As the entire wild watched in amazement the seed wafted across the wild seeking a new home. The butterfly wasn’t far behind.

As the evolution continued the flowers mastered the art of luring the butterflies with ephemeral beauty. The butterflies remained unaware but the term butter up became synonymous with flattery and lies. It’s a different matter that the winged seed design became quite successful in evolution and many species of plants use it today, to spread their dominance in the wild.