Final Flight of Beauty
By Douglas J. Lanzo
Inspired by observing a late summer
red-spotted purple butterfly
Quivering, yet gleaming blue —
buffeted, yet tried and true —
grounded wings, approaching fall,
chasing sunlight, ephemeral…
As tender dreams vanish in light,
a butterfly prepares last flight,
soaking the sun, to warm its wings,
and free its soul, of earthly things;
to soar once more, and touch the sky,
it spreads its wings, and takes to fly,
riding winds, to heights divine,
finding peace and joy aligned,
following, its Maker’s plan:
ascending high…in brief lifespan.
Douglas Lanzo is an award-winning American author and poet whose Newbery-nominated, debut novel, The Year of the Bear, won the 2023 Ames Awards for Young Adult Books, was named a Finalist for the 2023 Hawthorne Prize, and was a 2022 Firebird Award winner. His second book, I Have Lived, was recently named a double Firebird Award Gold Medal winner in the Novella and Romance/Suspense categories. Doug’s poetry has been widely published in literary journals and anthologies in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, England, Wales, Austria, Mauritius, India, Japan and Australia. Visit his website at www.douglaslanzo.com.